Subsequently, their mileage took a sharp increase andtheir rate of trail damage sharply decreased. My darling Swipes,Just a line to say that I am still alive Our things arrived this morning & we held divine services in the Blacksmith shop. When Im writing something, I want to use the perfect word to get my meaning across. The fateful bet was made during a club room discussion on May 19, 1903, when Jackson and his wife were on a stopover in San Francisco after they had traveled to Mexico and Alaska looking at potential mining investments. Horatio's Drive: America's First Road Trip View history Horatio's Drive: America's First Road Trip is a 2003 documentary film directed by Ken Burns and written by Dayton Duncan. Between 1909 and 1975, Ramsey drove across the country He'd Have to Get Under Get Out and Get Under (to Fix Up His Automobile), "The First Cross-Country Road Trip Took 2 Men and a Pitbull 63 Days", "Three Transports in with Men and Supplies", "Col. Jackson, Legion's Father in Vt., Is Dead", "Persons from Many Parts of Vt. to Attend Col. Jackson's Funeral", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Horatio_Nelson_Jackson&oldid=1135349527, Bertha Richardson Wells (m. 1899 d. 1954), first U.S. cross country trip by automobile, This page was last edited on 24 January 2023, at 03:30. A significant historical date for this entry is July 23, 1903. 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. All Rights Reserved. In the spring of 1903, on a whim and a fifty-dollar bet, Dr. Horatio Nelson Jackson set off from San Francisco in a 20-horsepower Winton touring car hoping to become the first person to cross the . Following the railroad would also make it easier to access supplies along the way. It was also the same year that the "Frontier" in America was considered closed. [1] He married Bertha Richardson Wells, the daughter of William Wells, a Medal of Honor recipient and one of the richest men in Vermont as a partner in Wells, Richardson & Co., manufacturer of Paine's Celery Compound, a popular patent medicine. ), additional tanks to hold extra oil and gasoline for emergencies. Captions: (left) Horatio Nelson Jackson (driving), Sewall K. Crocker (right), and Bud in the "Vermont. What there was however, was a loose patchwork of wagon and horse trails connecting the sparse fabric of humanity. Crocker Will Start this Morning on Automobile Trip They Hope Will End in New York. [citation needed]. "HORATIO CAM" DIGITAL FOOTAGE Allen Moore ASSOCIATE PRODUCER Susanna Steisel COORDINATING PRODUCER Pam Tubridy Baucom FIELD PRODUCER Craig Mellish NARRATED BY Keith David THE VOICE OF HORATIO. Despite mud, washouts, breakdowns, and a lack of roads and bridges in the West, they finished their trip in 63 days. Interested in having your company's ad featured on Basin & Range Magazine? Our experts bring you content that exemplifies life in the North American Western States and Provinces. Jackson was born in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, on March 25, 1872, a son of Samuel Nelson Jackson (1838-1913) and Mary Anne (Parkyn) Jackson (1843-1916). Constantly working in the face of heavy machine-gun and shell fire, Major Jackson was most devoted in his attention to the wounded, always present in the line of advance, directing the administering of first aid, and guiding the work of litter bearers. Hmm, perhaps youve never stopped to think about it before. The trip had to be called off after a one-armed bicyclist made up a 10- day head start from New York and passed the hapless car before it reached Syracuse. In Oregon, their path would often require them to ford streams some of which were quick and easy while others would require them to get out, affix the block and tackle and man-haul their trusty steed across the raging torrents. I am always amazed by the hot air balloon gondolas on display, seeing how small they are while reading, Read More A Sky Full of Adventure at the Balloon MuseumContinue, I dont know what it is about windmills, but whenever I see one of the old classic designs out on the prairie, I just want to stop and take a picture. One hundred years later, another doctor is following in Jackson's patched tire tracks. [8] Jackson had wanted a dog companion since Sacramento. Ill admit, I hadnt given it much thought myself despite my own epic road trip history. On July 21, they set out from Cleveland, Ohio, to finish the last leg of 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. Crocker of Seattle, both of whom are at the Palace ready for the journey. 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. Shortly after returning to the road, both of the brothers' vehicles broke down, and Jackson towed them both home with the Vermont. [12] While attached to the 313th Infantry, 79th Division as a surgeon, Jackson was wounded near Montfaucon during the MeuseArgonne Offensive. In 1903, Dr. Horatio Nelson Jackson single handedly silenced a conversation taking place at the San Francisco University Club. 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. At the time there were only 150 miles of paved roads in the entire country, all of them within city limits. 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. 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. All Rights Reserved. "From Sea to Sea in a Horseless Carriage", Dr. H.N. He twice ran for Governor of Vermont. The Pres of the firm with his associates came out & we had quite a procession into the city. Horatio Jackson, Sewall Crocker, Bud and the "Vermont", Photographed By Barry Swackhamer, October 19, 2018, 4. and their dog Bud made the first successful transcontinental automobile trip. After repairing the flat, they stopped again inSacramento, CA to replace & upgrade their all too dim headlights and met some friendly cyclists who offered them road maps to the local area. A relay of young horseback riders rode non-stop at top, Read More The Mail Must Go Through!Continue, Quick question is the voice of the announcements in the airport a person or a computer? 15 miles into the journey, they blew the first of what would be many, many tires. Until that time, the current route was but a well-traveled wagon road parallel with the Oregon Short Line railroad. (4) The men created a 100-foot path of sagebrush so the car could drive over the sandy soil. Or sometimes I just need to, Read More The Right Word Peter Roget and His ThesaurusContinue, If youve never heard of Snowflake Bentley, then Ive got a treat for you! 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 addition to owning and publishing the Burlington Daily News, he was head of the Burlington Trust Company, and owned and operated radio station WCAX (now WVMT). Funding provided by General Motors, The Corporation for Public Broadcasting, The Arthur Vining Davis Foundation, and the Park Foundation. A series of American university professors of history provided background information. Jackson (at the wheel) enlisted Sewall Crocker as his mechanic and co-driver, and bought a used Winton touring car. Find local businesses, view maps and get driving directions in Google Maps. It took five months, and covered more than 10,000 miles. "Right down that road," she said and pointed. Jackson chose a cherry red 1903 Winton Company touring car. According to the Winton Companys numbering system, the car he bought was Number 1684 but he chose to christen it with the name. The trip began after a discussion in a San Francisco mens club as to the feasibility of a transcontinental auto crossing. Horatio's Drive is a co-production of Florentine Films and WETA. Another brother, Hollister Jackson, served as Lieutenant governor of Vermont. Following the railroad right-of-way seemed the best way to go as they headed out. Following the war, he became one of the founders of theAmerican Legion, and twice ran forGovernor of Vermont. Way out West: H. Nelson Jackson at the wheel of his Winton. Theres also a book which I grabbed on my very next visit to the library. Jackson was one of the founders of the American Legion Department of Vermont. The finishing dash over the plains to the East Coast was as much a struggle with the "buffalo wallows" as it was with the car, but in the end Jackson was not to be denied. Jackson was seated in a gentleman's club when he overheard a discussion at another table about the impracticability of automobiles. While crossing the Rocky Mountains, they were moving boulders by hand out of their path. A stop of two days was made here to await their arrival, and on Tuesday morning the adventurous travelers resumed their journey.". Bud, a bulldog, accompanied the drivers, and was featured in many news photos. "They were the visionaries and crackpots, which is sometimes the same person. 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. I shall think of you a good deal tomorrow, as I always do. Two other motoring partieseach anxious to claim the title of first to drive across countrydeparted while Film-maker Ken Burns presents the hilarious 1903 saga of the first transcontinental automobile trip. 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. The thick coating of mud gave evidence that it had been somewhere and that somewhere a long way off. 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. If Im laughing, even at myself, then Im not crying, right? When we get there the worst will be over.I can run the car as well as Crocker & have rather surprised him We take 2 hours on and 2 off at the wheel. Several noted actors read the lines of various historical figures. But only 15 miles (24km) into the journey, the car blew a tire. On July 12, the two men and the dog arrived in Nebraska where they found themselves back on paved roads. When night came on we made camp beside the car, and having lost our cooking outfit and provisions, and [it] being an uninhabited region went to bed without any supper. more than 30 times. After twomore days ofplanning and preparation, the two began their unbelievable impromptu journey eastwardtowards New York City. Outside of major cities, spotting a car then was almost the equivalent of seeing a UFO today. Proper roads were so few and far between at this point, that there were no maps. Data by OpenStreetMap, under CC BY SA. The technology nevertheless began to catch on, slowly. 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. With them they brought little more than a couple of coats, some protective canvas suits, a couple of sleeping bags, some blankets, canteens, a water bag, an ax, a shovel, a telescope, some bicycle repair tools, a few spare parts, a block and tackle, extra cans gasoline and oil, a camera, a rifle, a shotgun, and a couple of pistols. Allegedly Jackson made a $50 bet that he could drive from San Francisco to New York in less than 90 days. 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. Over a hundred years after Jacksons trip, I can still relate to some of his experiences. Horatio Nelson Jackson (March 25, 1872 - January 14, 1955) . Horatioeventually settled inBurlington, Vermont, with his wife Bertha and faithful co-pilot Bud. 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). Later, somewhere in Idaho, they lost Jacksons coat which contained most of the travelers money. Ramseys sisters-in-law and a friend accompanied her on the trip from New York to San Francisco. African American History Curatorial Collective. All Rights Reserved. Some people even took to dangling steel cables across roads to stop the "devil wagons.". [6], Jackson continued to reside in Burlington, Vermont, with his wife Bertha and Bud the dog. The journey became a race among three teams, the winners being Jackson and Crocker. He owned a newspaper, a bank andradio station WCAX (nowWVMT). When the Winton needed repairs, they telegraphed the factory for parts and awaited delivery by railroad. PBS is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization. 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. No one was injured; it was the only accident on the trip. "I wanted paw and maw and my husband to see you," she said. Having no mechanical experience, Jackson convinced a young mechanic and chauffeur, Sewall K. Crocker, to serve as his travel companion, mechanic, and backup driver. And no, it hadnt been lost for 158 years. [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]. I came pretty nearly having cold feet. Long distance travel was done by train. Wilson Bentley was an amazingly passionate man who dedicated his life to photographing microscopic snowflakes. After driving the distance, they moved the path back in front of the car, repeating the process until they cleared the area. Just as soon as I can get decent tires we will make a record run. Hi, Im Sheila laid-back, sometimes creative, a little curious, and always ready for a last-minute adventure. He also had the sense to hire a good bicycle-turned-car mechanic in Crocker. Director Ken Burns Writer Dayton Duncan Stars Keith David (voice) Tom Hanks (voice) Adam Arkin (voice) After 63 days on the road, the expedition reached New York. Jackson was born in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, on March 25, 1872, a son of Samuel Nelson Jackson (18381913) and Mary Anne (Parkyn) Jackson (18431916). There are no maps, no roads, no repair shops. In 1903, he and driving partner Sewall K. Crocker became the first people to drive an automobile across the United States. Driving an automobile from coast to coast in 1903 was a difficult and daring achievement. The documentary focuses primarily on Horatio Nelson Jackson and his Winton car, the Vermont; along with his companions Sewall K. Crocker, his pet pitbull Bud and frequent correspondence with Jackson's wife Bertha Richardson Wells (called "Swipes" by Jackson). A few companies had started to put out guidebooks with detailed instructions on how to get from one town to the next. My darling Swipes. I had to know more! , The route of US 30 traces its origin to the early 1900s. , Read More Who was Snowflake Bentley?Continue. WhenWorld War Ibroke out, Jackson was considered too old to serve, but he contactedPresident Theodore Roosevelt and volunteered to became a commissioned officer. Washington, D.C. Email powered by MailChimp (Privacy Policy & Terms of Use). "Horacio was the big guy on the road with a brand new car. Horatio Nelson Jackson was a physician from Vermont who married Bertha Wells, the daughter of the richest man in Vermont. Thankfully, they could then manage about 250 miles a day. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate. Reaching Alturas, California, Jackson and Crocker stopped to wait for the tires. Jackson and his wife planned to return to their Burlington, Vermont, home in a few days, and both had been taking automobile driving lessons while in San Francisco. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. . 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. Horatio Nelson Jackson (March 25, 1872 - January 14, 1955) was an American automobile pioneer. 1899 -Louise and John Davis made the first known attempt to drive a car from coast to coast. This is a bad start for our first eleven days out. They have been very short & dear ones to me. The documentary has a companion book and audiobook, Horatio's Drive: America's First Road Trip, authored by Dayton Duncan and Ken Burns, published by Knopf in 2003. The Lincoln Highway was the first transcontinental motor route, created in 1913. After suffering a flat tire on the bicycle, he returned with 4 US gallons (15L) of fuel (which Jackson complained cost him "nearly twenty dollars"), and they returned to Burns to fill up.[6].