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FROM AUTOCAMPS TO AIRSTREAMS:
The Early Road to Vacationland

June 28, 2008 - February 8, 2009

The pursuit of leisure travel, especially as it has been practiced in Southern California, has been a source of intense interest to historians and enthusiasts since it began more than a century ago. Few geographical regions can boast better weather, a more beautiful landscape, and finer recreation opportunities than the Southland. Combined, these attributes have made Los Angeles a consistently attractive destination to motorists, their families, and friends. The automobiles, trucks, and camp cars these fun seekers drove and the trailers they towed were among the world's earliest recreational vehicles and often made as much an impression on visitors as the sights they came to see.

Originally transported in covered wagons (many of which were built by pioneering automaker Studebaker long before they began producing cars), the first visitors did not come to tour, but to stay. Their journeys were arduous and had little to do with getting away from it all, but the opportunities waiting for them were judged to make the effort worthwhile. Literally "blazing the trail" from east to west, these pioneers established cities and towns in which to live and eventually became prosperous enough to afford to take time off. The wealthiest among them used their considerable free time to take trains and ships on extensive vacations throughout North America and abroad, but the large majority rarely ventured farther in a day than they could travel to and back again on a horse.

The beginnings of long distance automobile travel were characterized by bad roads that were poorly marked and featured few facilities for motorists. Originally called "motor touring," exploring the countryside by car for even a short distance was at first considered a daring adventure. Early in the twentieth century, most cars were unreliable, underpowered, and not sturdy enough to hold up to the rigors of towing a trailer or carrying heavy luggage and camping gear. During this time only the wealthy could afford to tour by car, which would almost certainly have been driven by a chauffeur. Far more expensive, larger, and powerful than the workaday Curved Dash Oldsmobiles and other low priced cars that were becoming popular, some of these vehicles were equipped with picnic tables, running water, hidden commodes, and other travel conveniences for the comfort of occupants. Roof racks, running boards, and rear mounted folding trunk carriers accommodated the inevitably large amount of luggage they took to such destinations as luxury hotels, lodges, or other forms of fashionably civilized accommodation.

Now well known for his wildly successful Model T, Henry Ford had a strong desire for all Americans to see and explore their homeland so that they could appreciate it as much as he did. By building a car affordable enough "for the great multitude," he made it possible for average workers to buy automobiles that would allow them to venture farther from home than they could have imagined a short time earlier. As this new—and newly mobile—class of city dwellers became nostalgic for their rural roots, they took to the road in greater numbers (whether in Ford vehicles or those from other manufacturers), forming numerous camping clubs. One such club was the "Tin Can Tourists," an organization whose name was derived in part from its strong initial connection to Ford's ubiquitous "Tin Lizzy," the Model T.

By 1920 steadily improving roads and more powerful, reliable, and affordable vehicles made driving ever greater distances to one's destination practical. Since trains and hotels of the day were costly and required travelers to adhere to rigid schedules, autocamping offered an economical alternative that gave vacationers the flexibility to explore America at their leisure. As the popularity of auto camping increased, "roughing it" was the norm since working class vacationers were not able to take with them all but the most basic comforts of home. Candles were used for lighting, rocks and tree stumps were used for sitting, and campfires for cooking and heating. There were no radios, televisions, or other electric appliances and few thought to take with them the recreational sports equipment that became popular during the 1950s and 1960s. There was precious little time to indulge in pursuits such as pleasure boating in the summer and tobogganing in the winter when there was a tent to assemble, a campfire to start, and dinner to catch.

Already known for its year-round good weather and substantial share of interesting tourist destinations such as the beaches, mountains, and deserts, California also soon came to be celebrated for its acres of orange groves, peaceful character, and Hollywood mystique. When word spread about these attractions, people from all over the country began to motor to the area driving, carrying, or towing behind them some of the most distinctive and creatively engineered recreational vehicles and equipment of all time. Thanks to the spirit of innovation among manufacturers, a number of which were based in Los Angeles, Southern California soon became as well known for the ingenious vehicles used by vacationers on their journeys as it was for its natural beauty. This rise in the popularity of motor touring prompted the establishment of designated camping areas that were financed by municipalities hoping to attract tourists away from illegal, unsafe, and unsightly temporary camping areas by providing them with basic amenities. By the end of the 1920s, most of these free municipal autocamps gave way to better furnished private campgrounds and the practice of setting up camp became less demanding.

The increasing number of vacationers traveling by car eventually created a burgeoning market for specialized recreational equipment. Large and spacious canvas tents were preferred by those seeking to maximize their temporary living space while a number of manufacturers made specially adapted mattresses that unfolded to transform a touring car into an acceptable form of overnight lodging for one or two adults. Buyers seeking more comfortable housing that did not need to be assembled and disassembled at every stop were obliged to buy regular production cars or trucks and have them custom built and equipped at considerable expense or modify them themselves to save money. Called house cars, the dual-purpose vehicles they created resembled small bungalows on wheels. At first built primarily of wood, they were prohibitively expensive because of the large amount of specialized work required to design and assemble them.

For enthusiasts unable to afford a motorized camping vehicle, the travel trailer was a desirable-and far less costly-alternative. Either rigid or collapsible, trailers provided the convenience, cleanliness and comfort of a cozy cabin, yet could be unhitched so that the tow car could be used for day trips and other outings. Unlike canvas tents, trailers did not have to be laboriously assembled from scratch at every stop and their mostly rigid construction gave occupants an important level of security. Smaller trailers (normally equipped with one axle) usually had a compact stove, icebox, sink, and dining area, while most large trailers (usually fitted with two axles) also featured showers, chemical toilets and multiple bedrooms for greater utility and convenience. Regardless of their size, virtually all trailers had opening windows, wood paneled walls, and sofas that converted into beds.

Virtually unknown to Americans before 1932 (but already common in England), travel trailers became popular so quickly that trailer manufacturing had become one of the fastest growing domestic industries by 1936. One year later, an estimated 400 firms, located primarily in Michigan and Ohio, were in the trailer building business. Not wanting to be left behind, automakers like Pierce-Arrow and Elcar diversified into building house trailers as did auto body suppliers such as Hayes and the Bender Body Corp. Even pioneer aviator Glenn Curtiss expanded his operation to include the manufacture of luxurious and expensive travel trailers that were among the first fifth-wheel rigs in the industry.

One of the best known makes of travel trailers, Airstream debuted in 1934. Built in Los Angeles, it was the brainchild of Wally Byam whose dissatisfaction with the do-it-yourself plans offered in magazines of the day prompted him to design and build his own trailer. At first difficult to distinguish from its rivals, Byam's Airstream took on its current airplane-like, shiny aluminum look in 1936, the year after he absorbed the bankrupt Bowlus firm, also based in Los Angeles, and updated the design by changing the location of the door from the front (over the tongue) to the right side.

Whether rigid or foldout, teardrop or full-size, there was a trailer suitable for virtually any need and budget. And although vehicle manufacturers rarely offered trailer towing packages and other specialized options for motor touring prior to World War II, aftermarket firms made such equipment available. In doing so, they enabled autocampers to enjoy comfortable and convenient accommodations long before the establishment of nationwide hotel chains.

As the pursuit of long-distance motor touring grew in popularity, a number of books and magazines were published to educate enthusiasts about the finer points of autocamping such as how to cook, what to wear, what furnishings to bring, how to keep children entertained, and what specialized equipment was being developed to suit their needs. In his 1923 book Autocamping, F.E. Brimmer went so far as to suggest a code of ethics that emphasized the importance of civilized behavior regardless of how uncivilized the surroundings may have been and an understanding of the natural world that would be appreciated by environmentalists even today.

The expansion of America's network of interstate highways slowly evolved throughout the 1930s, enabling visitors to easily access some of the West Coast's most talked about scenic destinations, such as the mountains, deserts, and, with the completion of the Pacific Coast Highway, the beaches. These routes rapidly became dotted with restaurants, motels, parks and campgrounds, the vast majority of which were designed to accommodate sightseers traveling by automobile. To further meet the needs of motorists, many organizations, most notably the Automobile Club of Southern California, increased their range of automobile travel services by offering personalized trip advice, insurance, reservations, and emergency roadside repairs. Along with those from state and national travel and tourism associations, the maps and guidebooks they provided soon came to be regarded as essentials.

The boom in motor touring led to the production of domestically manufactured trailers that, like American cars of the day, steadily grew in size, weight, and luxury. Their spaciousness and civilized trappings led many experts to predict that millions of Americans would be living on wheels by mid century. But by the early 1940s, concerns about impending involvement in the war brought about a sharp drop in the sales and civilian use of recreational vehicles and related equipment of all kinds. When World War II began, gas and tire rationing and patriotic concerns about conserving important resources for the war effort brought about a considerable decline in automobile-related recreational activity. In early 1942 American automakers shifted from producing civilian automobiles to building tanks, jeeps, battleships, bombers, and other war related products. Yet while the golden age of recreational travel appeared to be over, a new era dawned in 1945 when a return to peace signaled a return to the road.

NOTE: Due to vehicle maintenance schedules, the lag time in web updates and other circumstances, vehicles represented on this website may not be on exhibit during your visit to the Museum.