Horatio Nelson Jackson departed San Francisco on May 23rd, 1903 for what was to become America's first ever road trip - and all because of a 50 dollar bet made just 5 days prior. 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. We shall try & get away tonight. 2023 Public Broadcasting Service (PBS). 42 38.862 N, 111 42.124 W. Marker is near Soda Springs, Idaho, in Caribou County. He was active in several businesses, including a granite manufacturing company owned by his brother Hollister. He bought a slightly used, two-cylinder,[4] 20hp[5] Winton, which he named the Vermont, after his home state, bade his wife goodbye, and left San Francisco on May 23, carrying coats, rubber protective suits, sleeping bags, blankets, canteens, a water bag, an axe, a shovel, a telescope, tools, spare parts, a block and tackle, cans for extra gasoline and oil, a Kodak camera, a rifle, a shotgun, and pistols.[6]. [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. "From Sea to Sea in a Horseless Carriage", Dr. H.N. We took that road for miles and then it came to a dead end at an isolated farmhouse. 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. It was one of the few original parts never replaced during the entire journey. The Lincoln Highway was the first transcontinental motor route, created in 1913. Dr. Jackson left his practice after a diagnosis of tuberculosis. The axle crank and two connecting rods broke and they had to send to the Cleveland factory to replace them. In 1916, a car covered its entire length in just 5 days so much faster than that first trip across the country! If you click & make a purchase, I receive a commission! Following the railroad right-of-way seemed the best way to go as they headed out. One hundred years later, another doctor is following in Jackson's patched tire tracks. Interested in having your company's ad featured on Basin & Range Magazine? [6] When their tires blew out they were required to wind rope around the wheels. We only made 45 miles in our direct route. Horatio Nelson Jackson was a physician from Vermont who married Bertha Wells, the daughter of the richest man in Vermont. Take good care of yourself & dont worry. But still, troubles continued to plague Horatio and Jackson. Jackson was born in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, on March 25, 1872, a son of Samuel Nelson Jackson (18381913) and Mary Anne (Parkyn) Jackson (18431916). Funding provided by General Motors, The Corporation for Public Broadcasting, The Arthur Vining Davis Foundation, and the Park Foundation. The possibilities of the open road What natural wonder will we see today? At Hailey, Idaho, Crocker wired the Winton Company for more parts. Data by OpenStreetMap, under CC BY SA. [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. Subsequently, their mileage took a sharp increase andtheir rate of trail damage sharply decreased. Americans have driven millions of miles back and forth across the country over the years but someone had to be first. 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. All Rights Reserved. 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. The Winton Motor Carriage Company published details about the Jackson-Crocker cross-country trip and emphasized the cars ruggedness and reliability. On a visionary whim and a $50 bet, Dr. Horatio Nelson Jackson became the first person to drive an automobile across the continent. [8] Jackson had wanted a dog companion since Sacramento. Mr. Murdock did all the driving and even drove for more than twelve hours on a few days, just to cover more distance (just like me on my road trips!). 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. PBS is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization. The film is based on the book of the same name by Dayton Duncan. "They've never seen an automobile. Except for its heavy coat of mud and dilapidated front tires, the car is little the worse for its rough usage. ", "Col. Nelson Jackson: The Man Who Spent $8,000 to Win a $50 Bet" Martin Sheridan. H. Nelson Jacksons trip in 1903 inspired dozens of motorists to cross the country. Find local businesses, view maps and get driving directions in Google Maps. The journey became a race among three teams, the winners being Jackson and Crocker. California to New York. Sometimes, though, we had to hunt for five miles to find a place where we could get our machine on the track. 1st auto passed thru yesterday; came via Camas Prairie and Croy Gulch to Hailey, "hence to Bellevue and on to Blackfoot." Jackson walked back to the last town to get oil, only to discover eventually that they had been stopped only a short distance outside of Vale. "A few people saw it as the wave of the future," Duncan said. Two other motoring partieseach anxious to claim the title of first to drive across countrydeparted while Jackson is a "wealthy Vermont gentleman" who bet $3,000 on trip. [7] Jackson and Crocker replaced it with the only spare they had, in fact, the only right-sized spare tire they could find in all of San Francisco. On July 21, they set out from Cleveland, Ohio, to finish the last leg of the journey. Jackson died on January 14, 1955 in Burlington, Vermont and was buried in the Lakeview Cemetery there. An article in the. 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. This is a bad start for our first eleven days out. coats and sweaters and two small suitcases for their clothes All Rights Reserved. Jackson estimated the cost of his 6,000 mile road trip as $8,000 which had been spent on the car, Crockers salary, food and lodging, never-ending new tires and repair parts, 800 gallons of gas, and the $15 spent to buy Bud. Tom Hanks provided the voice-over narration for Horatio Nelson Jackson. Find local businesses, view maps and get driving directions in Google Maps. 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. Before leaving, the machine will have a thorough overhauling and be put into condition for fast running. When the tires failed to materialize, however, they continued on after a three-day wait. The Pres of the firm with his associates came out & we had quite a procession into the city. Jackson walked back to the town of Vale, Oregon to stock up on oil for this latestrepair. His arrival in New York City, after every imaginable breakdown and delay, proved that the "horseless . Horatio Jackson's Winton in the Smithsonian. Here we slept under our carriage. Driving Directions to Prescott, AZ including road conditions, live traffic updates, and reviews of local businesses along the way. Both Packard and Oldsmobile were unable to maintain their forward progress through the tough times of the Rockies and within a month each, they eventually gave up their efforts to beat Horatio, Jackson and Bud to be the first to complete a journey across the North American continent in an automobile. [1] Another brother, Hollister Jackson, served as Lieutenant governor of Vermont. Horatio Nelson Jackson (March 25, 1872 - January 14, 1955) was an American physician and automobile pioneer. A stop of two days was made here to await their arrival, and on Tuesday morning the adventurous travelers resumed their journey.". (Hollister Jackson was serving as Lieutenant Governor of Vermont when he died in the Great Vermont Flood of 1927. What there was however, was a loose patchwork of wagon and horse trails connecting the sparse fabric of humanity. Finally, the end is in sight! [13], Jackson's military awards included the Distinguished Service Cross, the Legion of Honour, and the Croix de Guerre. View my full disclosure. completed the first transcontinental automobile trip, from San Francisco to New York, in 63 days, 12 hours and 30 minutes. I would be wrong. Having resupplied the best they could, they struck back out onto the open roader,open range. Horatio Nelson Jackson (March 25, 1872 - January 14, 1955) was an American automobile pioneer. Ill admit, I hadnt given it much thought myself despite my own epic road trip history. Shortly after returning to the road, both of the brothers' vehicles broke down, and Jackson towed them both home with the Vermont. Car: 1903 Winton two-seat touring car No. Driving Directions to Omaha, NE including road conditions, live traffic updates, and reviews of local businesses along the way. A significant historical date for this entry is July 23, 1903. Horatio's letter to Bertha | May 31, 1903 . There is nothing more quintessentially American than to set out on the open road in search of adventure. ), additional tanks to hold extra oil and gasoline for emergencies. Until that time, the current route was but a well-traveled wagon road parallel with the Oregon Short Line railroad. [6] The duo was also assisted in Sacramento by bicyclists who offered them road maps. We had no trouble in crossing railroad bridges With practice, bumping over bridge ties is no great task. Jackson and Crockers trip inspired an organized movement to improve the nations roads and make them better for cars. All day yesterday it was visited by admiring automobilists, and curious passersby peeped in upon it. But this newfangled automobile enticed Americans with two things they wanted most: freedom and mobility. At the next available stop they outfitted Bud with a pair of goggles which Bud wore without fuss for most of the rest of the journey. That someone was Horatio Jackson Nelson. "That's why I'm optimistic. Having no mechanical experience, Jackson convinced a young mechanic and chauffeur, Sewall K. Crocker, to serve as his travel companion, mechanic, and backup driver. 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.
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