No sooner than Jackson had finished the repair however, that they then suffered a gasoline leak which wasted all their available fuel. About 15 miles (24km) from home his car once again broke down. 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. But relief would not comfort them since they soon heard that competing corporate sponsored teams from both Packard and Oldsmobile were chasing them down hoping to steal the crown of first across the US in a motor car. Packard had secretly been planning their journey for months before Horatios fateful 50 dollar bet, and Oldsmobile had hoped to show the world what assembly line manufactured cars were capable of. Questions? The car is at the shop & they are to work all night so that I can get away in the morning I go from here to Buffalo. 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. Jackson and Crocker face obstacle after obstacle on their trip. [6] They arrived in New York City on July 26, 1903, 63 days, 12 hours, and 30 minutes after commencing their journey in San Francisco, in the first automobile to successfully transit the North American continent. Source: 'The Mad Doctor's Drive,' by Ralph Nading Hill; 'Winton 1903,' by Peter C. Kesling. The canine was quickly fitted with a pair of goggles and, from then on, got second billing only to the "whizz wagon," as one newspaper called the "Vermont. The possibilities of the open road What natural wonder will we see today? Many days of travel are lost as they sit waiting for repair parts to arrive via train or stagecoach. 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. While crossing the Rocky Mountains, they were moving boulders by hand out of their path. (You can see a few clips on the PBS website.) Press Clipping from Horatio Nelson Jacksons road trip across America. Most. It took five months, and covered more than 10,000 miles. Funding provided by General Motors, The Corporation for Public Broadcasting, The Arthur Vining Davis Foundation, and the Park Foundation. Sidebar ads are available in 125 x 125 and 480 x 60 sizes, in bi-monthly or six month intervals. Yet the young retired doctor, along with a mechanical assistant and a dog, took up the . Upon reaching the threshold of Jackson's garage, the Vermont's drive chain snapped. We only made 45 miles in our direct route. "Fifty dollars says I can drive a car to New York." This was quite a boast for a man without a car or mechanical knowledge. It is displayed with reproductions of supplies and equipment that the men carried. [8] Jackson had wanted a dog companion since Sacramento. The Winton Motor Carriage Company published details about the Jackson-Crocker cross-country trip and emphasized the cars ruggedness and reliability. Basin & Range is the premier resource for living the Active Outdoor Western Lifestyle. The 1903 Winton trip "was a pivotal moment in American automotive history," said Roger White, curator of an exhibition later this year at the Smithsonian National Museum of American History called "America on the Move." Peter's car is 100 years old, and he has to worry about semi-trucks.". He was in San Francisco on vacation with his wife when, while sharing a few beers with some friendly strangers at the local University Club, he insisted that he had what it took to drive a car across the US. But only 15 miles (24km) into the journey, the car blew a tire. When the tires failed to materialize, however, they continued on after a three-day wait. 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. He also had the sense to hire a good bicycle-turned-car mechanic in Crocker. [Horatio Nelson Jackson] Interactive Map Home . Please give my best love to your mother & tell [my] father & mother that I love them as much as ever. 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. They have been very short & dear ones to me. 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). 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. Horatio's Journey Marker marker is listed in this topic list: Roads & Vehicles. Despite mud, washouts, breakdowns, and a lack of roads and bridges in the West, they finished their trip in 63 days. The amazing journey of Dr. Horatio Nelson Jackson, and the first successful car trip across the United States, has been commemorated in a documentary film by the celebrated Ken Burns, "Horatio's Drive: America's First Road Trip", which debuts Monday, October 6th, at 9:00 p.m. on PBS. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate. We leave in the morning for Oroville the last railway point we will have until we strike Ontario, [Oregon]. After Cheyenne, Jackson and Horatio both knew that the hard part of the journey was now behind them. Wilson Alwyn Bentley was born on February 9, 1865, in Jericho, Vermont. 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. "Ocean to Ocean in an Automobile Car," Stephen Sears, Bud grew so accustomed to his riding goggles that "he would not begin the day's drive without them. At 4:30 a.m. on July 26, 1903, Jackson and Crocker crossed the Harlem River into Manhattan to their final destination of the Holland House Hotel. Western roads were still unimproved in 1909 when Alice Huyler Ramsey drove across the country. Horatio Nelson Jackson (March 25, 1872 - January 14, 1955) was an American physician and automobile pioneer. 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. Im Sheila - a wife, mom to 3, and favorite human of a slightly-neurotic dog. Alturas, California. Let's share the joy of discovery together. "From Sea to Sea in a Horseless Carriage", Dr. H.N. Keep reading to find out more Which came first, the snow or the passion? Going northwards out of Sacramento, the noise of the car covered the fact that the duo's cooking gear was falling off. Car: 1903 Winton two-seat touring car No. At the time there were only 150 miles of paved roads in the entire country, all of them within city limits. [6] They were also forced to pay a $4 (equivalent to $121 in 2021[3]) toll by a land-owner in order to cross his property on a "bad, rocky, mountain road" as Jackson described it. 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. 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. Peter Fimrite is The Chronicle's lead science reporter, covering environmental, atmospheric and ecosystem science. Dr. H. Nelson Jackson and Sewall K. Crocker, his chauffeur, finished the first transcontinental automobile trip at half-past four o'clock yesterday morning. , Read More Who was Snowflake Bentley?Continue. We shall now try & make a record trip. Washington, D.C. Email powered by MailChimp (Privacy Policy & Terms of Use). Later, somewhere in Idaho, they lost Jacksons coat which contained most of the travelers money. A map of Horatio's route and his 63-day itinerary The Gear After removing the backseat to make room for more gear, they packed the following items to begin the long journey: sleeping bags cooking gear rubber mackintoshes for themselves and the car (remember - no roof, no windshield!) Bud became an efficient watchman and was left in front seat at all stops to guard the car and equipment. In 1903, Horatio Nelson Jackson, a doctor from Vermont, was in San Francisco with his wife when he made a bet. Tom Hanks provided the voice-over narration for Horatio Nelson Jackson. [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. (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. This article related to a made-for-TV documentary film is a stub. Horatio Nelson Jackson, a physician and automobile pioneer, and Sewall Crocker arrive in New York on July 26, 1903, completing the first continental crossing by car, a journey prompted by a. The trip began after a discussion in a San Francisco mens club as to the feasibility of a transcontinental auto crossing. The thick coating of mud gave evidence that it had been somewhere and that somewhere a long way off. Ken Burns takes 'Horatio's Drive'. 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. Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window), Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window), A Sky Full of Adventure at the Balloon Museum, The Right Word Peter Roget and His Thesaurus, Mosquitos - What are they good for? (2) A team of horses rescued the car from being swallowed by quicksand. Reaching Alturas, California, Jackson and Crocker stopped to wait for the tires. 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. Even before roads stretched across the nation, well-publicized cross-country automobile trips advertised car manufacturers, promoted political causes, and proved When Im writing something, I want to use the perfect word to get my meaning across. H. Nelson Jackson (Vermont physician) In the spring of 1903, at a time when many people thought that the automotive industry had no future and that cars were merely an invention aimed at fun, Jackson accepted a $50 bet to prove that it was possible to drive a car from San Francisco to New York City. My answer would probably be computer. Our car will now be as good as new.We have had hard luck, but I think it all came at once. Want to know what other interesting things there are to see out on the road? After driving the distance, they moved the path back in front of the car, repeating the process until they cleared the area. Copyright20062023,Somerightsreserved. Before leaving, the machine will have a thorough overhauling and be put into condition for fast running. 15 miles into the journey, they blew the first of what would be many, many tires. Of course, these guidebooks were only published in the more-populated East at the time. Sign up for my occasional email updates! Jackson walked back to the town of Vale, Oregon to stock up on oil for this latestrepair. The Vermont native had married the daughter of a decorated Civil War general who was one of the richest men in Burlington. Dr. H. Nelson Jackson and Sewall K. Crocker (and Bud!) It was one of the few original parts never replaced during the entire journey. On our way back we were stopped by a man and asked if I didnt want a dog for a mascot. Occasionally horses and cars gave her PBS is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization. When I telegraph you to come down leave on the first train, telephone the agency you are at the Holland & I will telegraph you both then come. ", Bud, wrote Jackson, was "the one member of (our) trio who used no profanity on the entire trip.". [6] When their tires blew out they were required to wind rope around the wheels. By all accounts,Horatios bet was one made in the innocence of drunken exuberance. The Jackson-Crocker trip excited people across the nation. Nell Richardson, Alice Burke, and the Golden Flier, 1916. Peter Kesling, 71, an orthodontist and antique auto museum owner from La Porte, Ind., has a good idea of what might be in store Tuesday when he climbs aboard his own 1903 Winton and starts out to duplicate the historic feat. DriveBestWay.com is a route planner for car travelers, providing a lot of travel-related calculations like road distance, driving time, fuel cost Online route planner for car travelers - United States and worldwide - DriveBestWay.com Like Jackson, Ramsey and her three female passengers packed a block and tackle and used it often in the muddy Midwest. Following the war, he became one of the founders of theAmerican Legion, and twice ran forGovernor of Vermont. All Rights Reserved. African American History Curatorial Collective. Besides his medical practice, Jackson was an auto enthusiast who differed with the then-prevailing wisdom that the automobile was a passing fad and a recreational plaything. "Right down that road," she said and pointed. 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. touring car, named it Vermont, and headed east. Shortly after returning to the road, both of the brothers' vehicles broke down, and Jackson towed them both home with the Vermont. Their luck would soon begin to slowly turn when they purchased Bud, a Pit Bull they obtained from a rancher near Caldwell, Idaho. Except for its heavy coat of mud and dilapidated front tires, the car is little the worse for its rough usage. This article about a historical documentary film is a stub. As I had been trying to steal one we were glad to get him so accepted the present (consideration $15.00). But this newfangled automobile enticed Americans with two things they wanted most: freedom and mobility. Having no mechanical experience, Jackson convinced a young mechanic and chauffeur, Sewall K. Crocker, to serve as his travel companion, mechanic, and backup driver. ", Jackson had wanted a dog along on the trip and purchased the American bulldog, Bud, in Caldwell, Idaho. 5 at three this afternoon, but a message this noon from the train agent says that he has nothing, so it is another day. Despite mud, washouts, breakdowns, and a lack of roads and bridges in the West, they finished their trip in 63 days. After one harrowing drive over a stretch of narrow, bumpy road in the Cascade range, the two men noticed their cooking utensils had jiggled out. I shall think of you a good deal tomorrow, as I always do. The journey became a race among three teams, the winners being Jackson and Crocker. Even before we had cars, Americans have been drawn out to explore the unknown horizons. It got people thinking about long-distance highways.". Over a hundred years after Jacksons trip, I can still relate to some of his experiences. This spur-of-the-moment trip, partially based on a bet, unknowingly turned into a race. An automobile trip across the continent that will be watched with a great deal of interest will start from this city this morning. Horatio's letter to Bertha | May 31, 1903 . 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. Driving Directions to Omaha, NE including road conditions, live traffic updates, and reviews of local businesses along the way. Jackson died on January 14, 1955 in Burlington, Vermont and was buried in the Lakeview Cemetery there. "Discovering their loss, Jackson and Crocker determined that living off the countryside or starving was less to be feared than a return trip," wrote Jackson's friend Ralph Nading Hill in his book "The Mad Doctor's Drive. 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? It is Near Soda Springs in Caribou County Idaho, 3. A picture of Horatios dog, Bud, wearing driving goggles, caught my attention first. A former U.S. Forest Service firefighter, he has traveled extensively and covered a wide variety of issues during his career, including the Beijing Olympics, Hurricane Katrina, illegal American tourism in Cuba and a 40-day cross country car trip commemorating the history of automobile travel in America. [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]. Want to know what happened? Subsequently, their mileage took a sharp increase andtheir rate of trail damage sharply decreased. The jaunt will not only be a trip back in history, but a clash of early 20th and 21st century technologies. 2023 Public Broadcasting Service (PBS). Youre going to love it here. York City. (5) Both men and the dog were thrown from the car after striking an obstacle. On a visionary whim and a $50 bet, Dr. Horatio Nelson Jackson became the first person to drive an automobile across the continent. In Idaho, Jackson acquired Bud, and the bulldog accompanied the pioneering motorists to the East Coast. Bud, a bulldog, accompanied the drivers, and was featured in many news photos. There were no gas stations and virtually no road maps as we know them today. I would be wrong. 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.