All day yesterday it was visited by admiring automobilists, and curious passersby peeped in upon it. LOS ANGELES, Oct. 5 (UPI) -- On May 23, 1903, Horatio Nelson Jackson was just two days into his grand adventure of becoming the first person . In 1901, a much-publicized attempt by car manufacturer Alexander Winton to go from San Francisco to New York came to an unceremonious halt in a sand drift in Nevada. On June 6th however, the car finally suffered a severe mechanical issue forcing them to stop all forward progress near Burns, Oregon for several days. If you click & make a purchase, I receive a commission! Jackson, who was 31 in 1903, was undaunted by these conspicuous failures. There were no gas stations and virtually no road maps as we know them today. Their luck would soon begin to slowly turn when they purchased Bud, a Pit Bull they obtained from a rancher near Caldwell, Idaho. In the spring and summer of 1903, Jackson and his mechanic, Sewall Crocker, drove this 1903 Winton touring car from San Francisco to New York City. The two-cylinder, 20-horsepower Winton that Kesling will be driving has only two speeds -- slow and slower. In Idaho, Jackson acquired Bud, and the bulldog accompanied the pioneering motorists to the East Coast. Western roads were still unimproved in 1909 when Alice Huyler Ramsey drove across the country. An article in the. Even before we had cars, Americans have been drawn out to explore the unknown horizons. Kesling's entourage will roughly follow the route taken by Jackson through the Sacramento Valley, past Mount Shasta into Alturas, through Oregon and then swinging eastward toward the Rockies. Enter Horatios Drive: Americas First Road Trip, a documentary produced by Ken Burns. Jackson died on January 14, 1955 in Burlington, Vermont and was buried in the Lakeview Cemetery there. Jackson and Crocker followed trails, rivers, mountain passes, alkali flats, and the Union Pacific Railroad across the West. Jackson was one of the founders of the American Legion Department of Vermont. He was active in several businesses, including a granite manufacturing company owned by his brother Hollister. This is a bad start for our first eleven days out. Theres also a book which I grabbed on my very next visit to the library. Over a hundred years after Jacksons trip, I can still relate to some of his experiences. Sign up to get updates about the film and future projects from Ken Burns and Florentine Films. There will be breakdowns and tears and stories to last you through the years so get out there and start exploring! Jackson and Crocker face obstacle after obstacle on their trip. Jackson did manage to find a telegraph office and wired back to San Francisco for replacement tires to be transported to them along the journey. At the time there were only 150 miles of paved roads in the entire country, all of them within city limits. Between June 20 and 21, all three of them got lost in Wyoming, and went without food for 36 hours before finding a sheepherder who gave them a meal of roast lamb and boiled corn. [6] The duo was also assisted in Sacramento by bicyclists who offered them road maps. They include: Archival footage of Horatio Nelson Jackson is included. I feel confident we can make it.How I wish you were with me & that it was possible for you to take the tripWith a barrel full [of love], I am, as always, yours.Nelson. Explore the Winton touring car, which Jackson took on his historic trip. So Bud is now with us.We stopped at Nampa and had lunch at the Dewey Hotel. Heeding the omens of a previously failed attempt to cross the continent just a couple years earlier by automobile pioneerAlexander Winton(original builder of Horatios Winton) by way of the deserts of Nevada and Utah, the two explorerstook a more northerly route through theSacramento Valley along the remnants of the originalOregon Trail. The state of Vermont was so alarmed that it passed a law requiring every auto to be preceded down the street with a person waving a red flag. Bud became an efficient watchman and was left in front seat at all stops to guard the car and equipment. Be inspired! It started with an animated chat and a $50 bet over drinks at the University Club in San Francisco 100 years ago and culminated in a bumpy cross- country car trip on rudimentary roads with a bicycle mechanic and a dog wearing goggles riding shotgun. Ken Burns takes 'Horatio's Drive'. Steve Perkins, Executive Director of the Vermont Historical Society, gives us a little background, before launching into the fascinating story of Dr. Horatio Nelson Jackson. That someone was Horatio Jackson Nelson. Two other motoring partieseach anxious to claim the title of first to drive across countrydeparted while 1st auto passed thru yesterday; came via Camas Prairie and Croy Gulch to Hailey, "hence to Bellevue and on to Blackfoot." Many days of travel are lost as they sit waiting for repair parts to arrive via train or stagecoach. 5 at three this afternoon, but a message this noon from the train agent says that he has nothing, so it is another day. At one point he was ticketed for exceeding the 6mph (9.7km/h) speed limit in Burlington. Copyright20062023,Somerightsreserved. ", "Col. Nelson Jackson: The Man Who Spent $8,000 to Win a $50 Bet" Martin Sheridan. $8,000 on the trip, including hotel rooms, gasoline, tires, parts, supplies, food, and the cost of the Winton. With lots of love to all I am yours.NelsonP.S. H. Nelson Jacksons trip in 1903 inspired dozens of motorists to cross the country. Long before the interstates, there was a Winton / Indiana auto enthusiast about to reprise first-ever S.F.-to-N.Y. journey by car, winton_6/16/2003_COLOR (kinda)_3star_A-Section_a1_22p8 x full_steve, 6026, winton3_mon_B/W_3star_A-Section_a9_34p6 x 7.5i_brooks, winton4_mon_B/W_3star_A-Section_a9_10p10 x 3i_brooks, Kesling_6/16/2003_B/W_5star_A-Section_a9_10p10 x 3''_steve, 6026, Horoscope for Friday, 3/03/23 by Christopher Renstrom, No seriously, dont drive up to Tahoe this weekend, Wife of Jeffrey Vandergrift issues somber update, Snowboarder dies at Tahoe ski resort following historic blizzard, Horoscope for Saturday, 3/04/23 by Christopher Renstrom, The Warriors broke Russell Westbrook, just like old times, Scream publicity stunt floods Bay Area dispatch with 911 calls, Oakland ransomware attackers leak 'confidential' data, Mochi muffin bakery closes SF cafe after just 4 months, Rain reenters Bay Area forecast: Have an umbrella near you, The best fried chicken is at a San Francisco strip club, Smithsonian National Museum of American History, 10 beach essentials to pack for a spring break vacation, 14 things you need in your car before you drive to Tahoe. All Rights Reserved. Horatio Nelson Jacksons road trip occasionally picked up help from more traditional means, More trailside repairs on Horatio Nelson Jacksons 1903 Road Trip, Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window), Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window), Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window), Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window), Click to share on Tumblr (Opens in new window), Click to share on Pocket (Opens in new window). Outside of major cities, spotting a car then was almost the equivalent of seeing a UFO today. Until that time, the current route was but a well-traveled wagon road parallel with the Oregon Short Line railroad. The Winton Touring Car "Vermont" and Bud Googles are displayed in the Smithsonian National Museum of American History until this day. "From Sea to Sea in a Horseless Carriage", Dr. H.N. Those who had seen automobiles mostly complained about the noise and dust they caused and their tendency to spook horses. Jackson and Crocker were en route, but could not overtake them. And having become the first to drive a car across the nation, within hours of their. [17][18], In 1944, Jackson gave his Winton, the Vermont, to the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, D.C., where it is preserved.[6]. Nelson Jackson, a physician and businessman from Burlington, Vermont, captured the nation's attention when he and Sewall K. Crocker, a mechanic, drove from California to New York. [Horatio Nelson Jackson].[P.S.] He then hired a partner/mechanic, Samuel Crocker, who was a successful bicycle racer to accompany him on his journey east. Jackson was unable to buy a new tire, but purchased some used inner tubes. My sense of humor gets me through life. Sewall Crocker was a 22 year-old former bicycle racer who had been working in a gas engine factory when Dr. Jackson hired him to be the mechanic and co-driver for the journey. By 1900, he had given up his medical practice and was happily spending his wife Bertha's money on property, travel, horses and, most recently, automobiles. The next day they arrived in Ontario, Oregon, where supplies waited for them. used a block and tackle to pull the car out of mudholes. Jackson and Crockers trip inspired an organized movement to improve the nations roads and make them better for cars. I am tired & got to get up early in the morning & damn anxious to get you in my arms. 2023 Behind Every Day - WordPress Theme by Kadence WP. On the second night, they stopped early in Sacramento and replaced them with a large spotlight mounted on the front of the Vermont. It was one of the few original parts never replaced during the entire journey. Horatio Nelson Jackson departed San Francisco onMay 23rd, 1903 for what was to become Americas first ever road trip and all because of a 50 dollar bet made just 5 days prior. I came pretty nearly having cold feet. [1] His siblings included John Holmes Jackson, who served several terms as mayor of Burlington, Vermont. At this point, the trio became celebrities. I explained to them that the next stop was twelve miles away and that if they would help us out I would take their baggage in for them. Horatio's Drive is a co-production of Florentine Films and WETA. Americans have driven millions of miles back and forth across the country over the years but someone had to be first. (3) The car's 'cyclometer' fell off before crossing Idaho, leaving no way to tell how fast or how far they traveled for the remainder of the trip. In Cheyenne, Wyoming, the trio took a short break as they waited for more money to come through the wire, and repaired yet another mechanical failure, this time to the wheel bearings. Im laid-back, sometimes scattered, a little curious, love to laugh, and always up for a fun road trip. . After removing the backseat to make room for more gear, they packed the following items to begin the long journey: Unfortunately, a lot of their gear bounced out the back as they drove without them realizing it and several things were lost including two pairs of Jacksons eyeglasses. 1903 was a big year for the United States- President Teddy Roosevelt sent a wireless radio message across the Atlantic to the King of England, a cable was laid across the Pacific Ocean, completing the circuit and allowing Roosevelt to send the first telegraph around the world, and the Wright brothers made the worlds first airplane flight. Jackson's trip started in a hastily purchased Winton that he named the "Vermont" four days after he made the bet. Want to know what other interesting things there are to see out on the road? Way out West: H. Nelson Jackson at the wheel of his Winton. [14][15], The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress, July 9, 1918, takes pleasure in presenting the Distinguished Service Cross to Major (Medical Corps) Horatio N. Jackson, United States Army, for extraordinary heroism in action while serving with 313th Infantry Regiment (attached), 79th Division, A. E. F., near Montfaucon, France, September 26-29, 1918. In 1916, a car covered its entire length in just 5 days so much faster than that first trip across the country! , At the time of Horatio Jackson's trek, only 150 miles of paved road existed in the country, and gas stations and road maps were non-existent. Alturas, California. I find it fascinating how similar my own road trip experiences were in some ways to the very first cross-country journey. THE FIRST TRANSCONTINENTAL AUTOMOBILE ROAD TRIP In 1903, a man named Dr. Horatio Nelson Jackson became the first person to drive across the country, from coast to coast. They were facing a daunting task. Everything that can break has broken already.". Upon reaching the threshold of Jackson's garage, the Vermont's drive chain snapped. (c) 2014 Re:West Media House, LLC. Long distance travel was done by train. [1] Another brother, Hollister Jackson, served as Lieutenant governor of Vermont. At Hailey, Idaho, Crocker wired the Winton Motor Carriage Company for more parts, which, combined with the increasing press coverage, spurred the Winton car company to step up their support efforts since to them it meant an increased positive image of the company. Jackson's bold adventure in a horseless carriage in many ways created the America we live in today, filled with a network of highways, thousands of motels, fast-food joints at every intersection and SUVs. Youre going to love it here. In 1903 there were only 150 miles of paved roads in the entire nation and most people had never seen a "horseless buggy" - but that did not stop Horatio Nelson Jackson, a 31-year-old Vermont doctor, who impulsively bet $50 that he could drive his 20-horsepower automobile from San Francisco to New York City. They left from New York and traveled so slowly that a one-armed bicyclist who started 10 days after them passed them before they made it to Syracuse at which point they abandoned the attempt. The first family road trip was in 1908. Quite a flurry of excitement was erected Saturday evening by the arrival of an automobile. Somewhere along this route, Jackson lost a pair of his glasses. (4) The men created a 100-foot path of sagebrush so the car could drive over the sandy soil. At a time when few women owned or drove cars, taking the wheel was a powerful symbolic act. Our experts bring you content that exemplifies life in the North American Western States and Provinces. They would finally begin to make up much needed time after so many days spent waiting for parts, repairs and money back in the Rocky Mountain high country. "At the time they made the trip, there was a perception that the American frontier was closed. Broke down again, Jackson rented a bicycle from a nearby rancher, rode the 25 miles back to town, suffered his own flat tire, and eventually returned with the fuel. Funding provided by General Motors, The Corporation for Public Broadcasting, The Arthur Vining Davis Foundation, and the Park Foundation. Early life and medical career [ edit] Horatio's Drive Follow the route that Horatio Nelson Jackson and his passengers took across the country. Article from American Heritage . Jackson chose a cherry red 1903 Winton Company touring car. The cross-country trip, which now takes about two days if you drive nonstop. As Burke and Richardson drove around the country, overcoming the challenges of rough roads and mechanical breakdowns, they showed that women could be at home in the masculine domain of machines. What roads did exist, were holdovers from the wagon train trading routes of the 1850s, 60s, and 70s the Old West of cowboy and Indian lore. York City. The Jackson party left Chicago at noon Saturday and arrived in Cleveland at 5:00 p.m. Monday, remarkably good time for notoriously bad roads which had been rendered worse by continued hard rains. [1] H. Nelson Jackson and Bertha Wells were the parents of daughter Bertha (19061984), the wife of George B. Kolk and the longtime editor of the Burlington Daily News, of which her father was publisher.[2]. His two brothers, each driving his own automobile, came to help him get going again. Its subject is the first cross-country automobile journey in the United States, which occurred during the summer of 1903. Later, somewhere in Idaho, they lost Jacksons coat which contained most of the travelers money. This added several hundred miles to their route but they hoped to avoid the problems that Alexander Winton had faced in the desert sands of Nevada. The journey was arduous and slow, but their trip made headlines wherever they went. Got onto the right road again and reached Orchid at eleven oclock. He accepted, even though at age 31 he did not own a car, had practically no experience driving, and had no maps to follow. But only 15 miles (24km) into the journey, the car blew a tire. As an indication of how slow this trip would turn out to be, the first stop was a few blocks east of the Palace Hotel -- the San Francisco-Oakland ferry terminal. Roads are better here and they continue to make good time, often driving into the night just to log more miles and get themselves that much closer to home. With 146 illustrations and 1 map Read more Print length 192 pages Language English Very few of our citizens had ever seen this, one of the wonders of the century, and large crowds gazed with curious interest at the horseless wagon. Both the Packard and Oldsmobile companies sent their respective automobiles from California with hope of passing Jackson and claiming the title for first automobile to travel across the U.S. , It took 63 days to complete the journey, during which the trek merged with present-day Highway 30 near Pocatello, Idaho, and followed it into Soda Springs, Idaho, and finally into Granger, Wyoming. Darling Swipes,The car is at the shop & they are to work all night so that I can get away in the morning. Peter's car is 100 years old, and he has to worry about semi-trucks.". But, 2 days after the bet, Horatiofinalized the purchase of his first car, a Winton that he dubbed The Vermont after his home state. I am a little ahead of time but Lord knows when I will get time to write again. )[11], A longtime member of the Vermont National Guard when World War I broke out, Jackson was considered too old for active service, but he contacted former President Theodore Roosevelt (whom he had met at some point in Burlington), through whose influence Jackson was placed on active duty as a captain in the Medical Corps. I shall think of you a good deal tomorrow, as I always do. The Winton Motor Carriage Company published details about the Jackson-Crocker cross-country trip and emphasized the cars ruggedness and reliability. In honor of its achievement it was decorated with tiny flags and draped with national standards. Horatio Nelson Jacksons Road Trip Route Across America. A series of American university professors of history provided background information. On June 16, somewhere in Idaho, Jackson's coat, containing most of the travelers' money, fell off and was not found. There are no maps, no roads, no repair shops. This historical marker was erected by America's Byways. Allegedly Jackson made a $50 bet that he could drive from San Francisco to New York in less than 90 days. What there was however, was a loose patchwork of wagon and horse trails connecting the sparse fabric of humanity. "Why did you send us way down there?" The first American automobiles had been built only 10 years earlier, and most people in America had never set eyes on the wildly expensive contraptions. Thanks! Except for its heavy coat of mud and dilapidated front tires, the car is little the worse for its rough usage. "Everyone pooh- poohed the idea of even attempting such a journey.". Press Clipping from Horatio Nelson Jacksons road trip across America. My darling Swipes. (Hollister Jackson was serving as Lieutenant Governor of Vermont when he died in the Great Vermont Flood of 1927. In everyday life, the 31 year old Horatio was a successful Burlington, Vermont physician. Here we slept under our carriage. At first they lost their cookware, but while still in California, Jackson also lost his glasses. "Right down that road," she said and pointed. Horatio's Journey. He remained on duty until severely wounded by high-explosive shells, when he was obliged to evacuate.[16]. Crocker of Seattle, both of whom are at the Palace ready for the journey. Data by OpenStreetMap, under CC BY SA. On July 12, the two men and the dog arrived in Nebraska where they found themselves back on paved roads. Horatio Jackson's Winton in the Smithsonian, 5. Jackson (at the wheel) enlisted Sewall Crocker as his mechanic and co-driver, and bought a used Winton touring car. It is Near Soda Springs in Caribou County Idaho, 3. I asked her. We only made 45 miles in our direct route. , Read More Who was Snowflake Bentley?Continue. Traveled at 40 mph, and "said they sometimes spurted up to 60 miles an hour.". [Horatio Nelson Jackson]. "We're standing in . You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. Horatio Jackson's Winton in the Smithsonian. Basin & Range is the premier resource for living the Active Outdoor Western Lifestyle. Keep in mind that most of what we knew about getting around the countryside at this time was oriented around the range of travel comfortable for your horse which on average was onlyabout 10-20 miles. Learn about the driver, the mechanic and the sidekick who took the epic journey. It turned out that the dusty alkali flats the travelers encountered would bother Bud's eyes so much (the Vermont had neither a roof nor windshield) that Jackson eventually fitted him with a pair of goggles. While it was neither, the people's curiosity had been aroused from a report that an automobile was coming this way, and that if they wished to see it pass it was necessary to have a seat in the front row, otherwise it might go through at the rate of 90 miles an hour, and would be out of sight before they could run a block.It drove in sight at just 4 o'clock and the crowds surged forward to get a first look at a real live auto, a machine that nine-tenths of the people of Lake county had never seen. Tires, somewhat expectedly, continued to blow out forcing them at times to wind rope around the wheel so it could act as rudimentary tire but at least they could go on. They were also given a 108-mile (174km) misdirection by a woman so that she could send them to the spot where her family could see an automobile.[6]. touring car, named it Vermont, and headed east. Keep in mind that the cars of 1903 were little more than expensive playthings for hobbyists and hadnt really been proven to be worthy of such a bet. Sign up to get updates about the film and future projects from Ken Burns and Florentine Films. The only mishap happened just east of Buffalo, New York, when the Vermont ran into a hidden obstacle in the road and Jackson, Crocker, and Bud were thrown from the car. completed the first transcontinental automobile trip, from San Francisco to New York, in 63 days, 12 hours and 30 minutes. Fortunately, Jackson was an optimist. [12] While attached to the 313th Infantry, 79th Division as a surgeon, Jackson was wounded near Montfaucon during the MeuseArgonne Offensive. [6], Jackson continued to reside in Burlington, Vermont, with his wife Bertha and Bud the dog. In 1909, Alice Huyler Ramsey, of Hackensack, New Jersey, became the first woman to drive across the United States. 42 38.862 N, 111 42.124 W. Marker is near Soda Springs, Idaho, in Caribou County. "In the last three months I've been driving it every day in preparation for the trip and every day something breaks," Kesling said. I would be wrong. Washington, D.C. Email powered by MailChimp (Privacy Policy & Terms of Use). Your Privacy Choices (Opt Out of Sale/Targeted Ads). What part of history will come to life when we see it with our own eyes? The threat of the other teams would spur Jackson and Horatio on, pushing them to step up their pace across the unending Great Plains of Nebraska and beyond. As luck would have it, the movie was available on Amazon prime for just a few more days so I immediately added it to the top of my list. . Lets follow along on his journey, shall we? We left Caldwell at eight oclock and after running a few miles out of town I found that I had forgotten my coat. The possibilities of the open road What natural wonder will we see today? Take good care of yourself & dont worry. "The majority opinion expressed was that, save for short distances, the automobile was an unreliable novelty," Jackson later wrote. It has been an awful long time to us and I shall be mighty glad when we are on the way again and unless another serious accident happens we ought to be able to make good time across these plainsWell, tomorrow is our anniversary & I wish I could be with you. We returned and took supper with the section hand. (1) 'Bud,' a stray American bulldog, joined the journey. The automobile with Jackson and Crocker, crossing the continent, which left here Thursday was badly smashed up twelve miles east of this city on a smooth road while running twenty five miles an hour. Their yellow Saxon automobile, nicknamed the Golden Flier, became a moving symbol of womens rights and a podium for speeches in many towns and cities. Get set for an adventure that marked a new era in America! Captions: (left) Horatio Nelson Jackson (driving), Sewall K. Crocker (right), and Bud in the "Vermont. PBS is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization. To commemorate Jackson and Crocker's trip, a rerun of the approximate route in a similar 1903 vintage car will start in San Francisco on June 17 and finish the same day as the original 1903 drive, in New York City on July 26. And no, it hadnt been lost for 158 years. This spur-of-the-moment trip, partially based on a bet, unknowingly turned into a race. The rough and tumble wagon trails which they followed, combined with the noisiness of their Winton, rendered them unable to tell when they would lose valuable items off the back of the car. When Dr. Horatio Nelson Jackson wagered in May 1903 that he could drive from San Francisco to New York in 90 days, there were only 150 miles of paved road in the entire country. Indeed had a flying machine lit down in their midst it would not have created greater astonishment. Before leaving, the machine will have a thorough overhauling and be put into condition for fast running. After Cheyenne, Jackson and Horatio both knew that the hard part of the journey was now behind them. Generally speaking, America in 1903 hadno roadsbetween cities, towns, or any other landmarks for that matter. Packard and Oldsmobile had for several months been meticulously planning similar trips with expert drivers and mechanics, support crews and modified cars when Jackson simply loaded up the Winton and split. They are all like a lot of kids I have made arrangements to have the Winton agent at New York to take you up the Hudson to meet me. He is a mighty good man.I am fine and the only trouble is I miss you so.Nelson, We met a red-haired young woman riding along on a white horse. [6] Newspapers at the time gave a variety of stories of how Bud was acquired, including that he was stolen; in a letter to his wife, Nelson said a man sold him the dog for $15[9] (equivalent to $452 in 2021[3]). In Caldwell, Idaho, they met a man who offered them a dog as a mascot. On June 6, the car broke down, and they had to be towed to a nearby ranch by a cowboy on horseback. Like Jackson, Ramsey and her three female passengers packed a block and tackle and used it often in the muddy Midwest. This they consented to do and in about an hour we were on our way again. The trip,. Dr. Jackson started his trek in San Francisco in a 20-horsepower Winton touring car he called "Vermont" (honoring the state in which he and his wife Bertha lived), and the final destination was Burlington, Vermont. "[Horatio Nelson Jackson], My darling Girl: We have crossed the mountains & dont expect to come to anymore until we get into Idaho. Together, both events would dramatically alter the course of exploration and adventure for the next century. The running time to Alturas was five and a half days; about 125 miles per day, without accident or incident worthy of mention. Jackson was seated in a gentleman's club when he overheard a discussion at another table about the impracticability of automobiles. It is generally believed that Kesling will make it farther than Jackson before the first breakdown, which happened barely 15 miles outside of San Francisco on the 1903 trip, when a tire blew. Then the caption about the first ever cross-country road trip sealed the deal.