As families are heading out to the great outdoors on this 4th of July, just remember how we became a "camping" nation. Once upon a time in America, camping was a necessary way of life and not an entertaining past time. But in the early part of the 19th Century, Americans became more mobile especially after the invention and mass production of the automobile. The concept of "motels" had not been invented yet and hotels were far and few between. So, if people were caught out on the road after dark, their only choice was to sleep in their car or set up camp. This was especially true during the Great Depression when money and employment was so scarce. But from 1915 on, camping began to gain momentum. The new automobiles became a "necessity" especially with the amount of gear you carried such as tents, cots, lanterns, food and such. This was because in those days, the tents were made of heavy canvas and the sleeping bags were packed with dense wool. Nylon would not be invented until 1935, at which time it revolutionized the new light weight gear. The first luxury "camping tents" were introduced as early as 1916 and the first specialized campers in 1920. But entertainment camping exploded after World War II when Americans found they had more money in their pockets and shorter working hours. But from then till now, its been a long evolutionary road!
Pensacola's Eiland Camper Sales 1954
Pensacola camping in 1909, possibly Scenic Highway
Was this the first of the motorhomes?
1950's