 |
|||||||
         |
|||||||
               
We wander for distraction, but we travel for fulfillment. ~ Hilaire Belloc
|
Dumb Things
Sold Just Like That Living full time in an Recreational Vehicle, you tend to do quite a bit of research on the RV industry itself. You’re always looking at the newer models to see what day-to-day items have changed and what new items will make your life simpler. This 25’ Travel Trailer is our home, so you try and make it as comfortable as possible. What better place to look then the past? Wandering the country side is not new, RVing has been around since the automobile first began; it actually began long before the invention of the Horseless Carriage. The Covered Wagon was an RV for the Cowboys, the horse-drawn houses used in Gypsy Caravans who roamed Central Europe centuries before the invention of the Automobile; the Davy Crockett and Daniel Boone of our past were simply RVers of their century. What started as a necessity for travel, became a luxury item for camping and has now became an accepted lifestyle for millions of us; it all began with Dumb Things Sold Just Like That. Reading the book, Dumb Things Sold Just like That – A History of the Recreational Industry in America by Al Hesselbart, was like looking into a time capsule of the RV Lifestyle. Sure I thought I knew RVing as we know it today. The lifestyle that goes along with it had been around since the invention of the automobile, but I was amazed at how elaborate these “House Trailers” were in the early 1900’s. Imagine the difference between packing up the SUV in these modern times, loading all the conveniences of home in your Travel Trailer and heading North for the weekend, compared to traveling in a Model T pulling a one-of-a-kind trailer on the so-called roads of the mid-1900’s. The average speed was only 10-15 mph! My have we grown soft. The
book starts with a history lesson of the RV itself. How “House
Trailers” went from being exchangeable with the chassis of the then new,
Automobile;
Dumb Things Sold Just Like That is loaded with detailed pictures from the early days of these fantastic looking rigs, and kept me flipping through the book wanting more. After telling how the industry stumbled a few times during those first few years, many companies closing their doors never to open again during the supply shortages of World War II. Only to rebound 10 fold when our boys returned from the war wanting to explore this big empty backyard that was being made available to explore by a new road system the government was laying down, it goes on to introducing the industry leaders who started what is now known as the American Dream. The book explains how “Trailerites”, which is what early RVers were known as, became so popular, the travel industry was created to cater to these wandering individuals. They created roadside attractions competing for their business. It tells how The Tin Can Tourists of this World was created in 1919 and was the largest of the Consumer Groups having over 100,000 members within its first few years! How the travelers who became known as ‘Trailer Trash’ and ‘Gypsies’ and run out of many areas, were able to rebound and show they had plenty of money to spend on their journeys following the warm weather. I think we now call them Snow Birds, and many of our Parents and Grandparents or even ourselves fit this status symbol. One of the things that surprised me most with this book was how little has changed in the industry in over 100 years. Traveling to so many RV shows doing research for our trip, I was amazed and shocked when I would turn a page and see a fifth wheel from the Depression Era that looked very similar to the modern 5er of today. The only difference was some of the higher end units of those days came with a matching tow-vehicle for a total price of only $25,000!! Tent
Trailers or Pop-ups haven’t changed a bit in design, except for some of
the modern luxuries fitted in today’s floor models. The Travel Trailer
of today shares the same lines and features of those pre-war era models,
and except for some high tech materials and gadgets that the current
models are being
As a history buff, I was on over load reading this book. It’s filled with so much info regarding the industry, I found myself re-reading pages just to try and absorb all the useful knowledge. I found it just as funny how an industry started for the outdoorsmen; those people who just towed a place to sleep, but spent 90% of their time in the outdoors; has been converted to a lifestyle where some of the modern RVs have all the luxuries of home. So much to the point that the individual inside these modern day RVs, doesn’t need to leave, and to say “Camping” is now an insult. I learned how the assembly line gave way to lower prices, and the Winnebago CO. was the first to sell the Motorhome at an affordable price which skyrocketed the industry. Much like Henry Fords Model T did to the auto industry. Dumb Things Sold Just Like That carries the reader through the many generations of the RV industry. It walks you through the history pages of a past time that has touched many of us and become a full-time lifestyle for so many more. The book explains the individuals who have changed the face of the industry, those who rode the many ups and downs through two world wars and the many problems our country has battled through. It talks of expeditions around the globe and reminds you that Humans are curious and ever roaming. It tells of the industry giants like Coleman, Fleetwood, Airstream and Winnebago just to name a few and how they became who they are today. The names we see sitting on every RV Dealership lot, and the hardships some of those names have had to go through to stay in business. This book is for anyone who enjoys history, everyone who owns some type of RV and those of us who aren’t content with sitting still. This book is for anyone who enjoys reading. Review by Pat & Cindy Bonish - pat@everymilesamemory.com Got something to say about this review, feel free to send us an email. If you'd like us to review any of your work, send us an email and we can provide you with a mailing address
Need Unlimited photo storage- FREE Trial of Smugmug |
||||||
|
|||||||
to
gaining popularity with so many Americans, that individuals started
making chassis specific models for the “Auto Camper” industry.
wrapped
in, we’re still towing the same trailers. 