18.12.08

F I R S TP R E V910NEXTLAST
Riding into a New Year, Market Street
The first transcontinental automobile trip began here at the base of Market Street in San Francisco on May 23, 1903. Dr. H. Nelson Jackson and Sewell Crocker set off here on a gentleman's wager to see if they could reach New York City in less than 90 days despite the fact that there were virtually no roads in the rugged West. They often had to push their car up over rocky terrain and through mudholes as well as endure breakdowns and delays while waiting for parts to arrive.

Despite all this they made the trip in only 64 days. Jackson and Crocker were hailed as heroes and inspired a generation of automobile enthusiasts. Their much-publicized journey caused people to think about the possibilities of long-distance auto travel, and consider cars as an alternative to railroads. It was this new attitude that led to the construction of many more paved roads and inspired a young engineer named Henry Ford to design a cheap automobile for the masses.

The actual 1903 Winton Touring Car that made the trip.

[ MAP F-16 ]


3 Comments:

Blogger dutchbaby said...

I saw a very interesting documentary of that car trip. I forgot that it started on Market Street.

Please enjoy your holidays, Ramsey, and make Pat Benetar proud on your new Guitar Hero.

12:04 PM  
Blogger Tomate Farcie said...

Beautiful shot! Happy holidays to you too, and thank you for all these wonderful posts all year long.

9:01 PM  
Anonymous Rick said...

Is it coincidental that the dominant building in the photo is the Southern Pacific Building?

11:10 AM  

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