By the end of World War I, Americans were camping in their cars. They
added tents, beds and cooking facilities to the family car - and hit the road.
Americans, it seems, have been destined to be RVers since
the earliest days that explorers set foot on this continent. Adventurers at
heart, settlers came in search of freedom and opportunities to grow and
discover. And, discover they did – first by ship, then by horse, in groups by
conestoga wagon trains, and ultimately, by motorized vehicles that became the
RVs of today.
As a society, Americans are driven to and by
challenges. We itch to know what lies beyond the next curve in the road or over
the crest of a distant hill. We are a curious people and our quests have
resulted in inventions that help us answer that call to discover.
For American pioneers, the journey of discovery was
equally as important as the final destination. Unlike any other mode of
transportation, traveling by RV on our highways, byways and the less-traveled
back roads allows us to discover our own gems along the way. Fly over at 50,000
feet and you miss the little details – speed by on a train at 100 mph and the
scenery becomes a blur. RVs allow us the convenience of making our own travel
routes, time schedules and to make detours and unexpected stops at sites along
the way that catch our attention. What will you discover when you go
RVing?
Take a stroll (or a scroll) down memory lane and see how
the RVs of today got their start as you travel through a little piece of
American history via the photos below.
By the end of World War I, Americans were camping in their cars. They
added tents, beds and cooking facilities to the family car - and hit the road.
In the 1920s, RVers built homes-on-wheels. They made simple wooden
houses in their backyards and placed them on Model 'T' chassis.
RV camping clubs date back to the Tin Can Tourists of the 1920s and
1930s. The Tin Can Tourists were RVers who braved dust and mud to drive their
Tin Lizzies across the U.S. before transcontinental roads were paved. They
camped by the side of the road, heated tin cans of food on gasoline stoves, and
bathed in cold water.
RVs sold in the 1930s used aircraft-style construction and came
equipped with beds, dinettes, electricity, and water.
As the popularity of RVs increased, so did the need for campgrounds
with more facilities.
After World War II, the RV industry flourished as more Americans
sought mobility.
From tiny do-it-yourself kits to plush 30-foot models, travel
trailers came into their own as true towable RVs by 1950.
Many of today's RV manufacturers started production in the 1950s and 1960s
The RVs evolutionary path includes advances in aerodynamic design and
interior comforts.