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The Great Race of 1908

The Great Race of 1908 Only nine men had successfully crossed the United States in an automobile at that time.  The Around the World Auto Race would cover 22,000 miles in 169 days! Thomas Flyer National Automobile Museum Thomas Flyer - $4,000   Weighed 5,000 pounds loaded

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The Great Race of 1908

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  1. The Great Race of 1908 Only nine men had successfully crossed the United States in an automobile at that time.  The Around the World Auto Race would cover 22,000 miles in 169 days!

  2. Thomas Flyer National Automobile Museum • Thomas Flyer - $4,000   • Weighed 5,000 pounds loaded • 4 cylinder 60 hp engine • 60 mph

  3. Great Race by the Numbers: • • 6 cars from 4 nations • • 250,000 spectators at start of the race • • 3 continents visited • • 169 days for Thomas Flyer to win race • • 13,341 miles by land, 8,600 by water • • 22,000 miles total

  4. Chicago, IL Buffalo, NY Cheyenne, WY Omaha, Nb Iowa 1908 Out west ?? Julesburg, CO Kendallville, IN Tonapah, NV New York City Feb 12, 1908 Valdez, AK

  5. The Start: Feb. 12, 1908Location: New York City Return to map Crowds begin to gather at the Times Square starting line in NYC. Over 250,000 spectators were on hand for the start of the 1908 New York to Paris Race. 

  6. Feb. 16, 1908Location: Buffalo, New York Return to map The Flyer with the 45 star flag flying approaches Buffalo, NY where it was built. Often spectator cars would join in, following the competitors or acting as guide cars breaking the way through snow

  7. Location: Kendallville, IndianaFebruary 19, 1908 Long before snowplows, hand shoveling or dragging the Flyer with teams of horses was often the only way through. With little protection from the elements, the American built Thomas Flyer with George Schuster as driver becomes the first automobile to ever cross the US in winter.  Mar. 24,1908-First auto to ever cross the US during winter in 41 days, 8 hours and 15 minutes, a total of 3.836 miles from Times Square, New York City. Return to map

  8. Location: Outside Chicago, IllinoisFebruary 26/27, 1908 Where there were no rails, the Thomas was often forced to go "cross country", long before the days of 4WD.  Here, the car mired in quicksand, has broken the pinion gear.  It was repaired in the creek bed. Return to map

  9. Location: Iowa Countryside1908 Return to map "Thomas Flyer" rolling through the snowy Iowa countryside. In 1908, there were no paved roads and the problems of driving in the snow and mud cannot be fully understood today.

  10. Location: Omaha, NebraskaMarch 4, 1908 Return to map Often with no roads, the Flyer would go "cross-country" finding torturous obstacles along the 22,000 mile course

  11. Location: Julesburg, Colorado The Flyer up to the axles in mud near Julesburg, Colorado. Return to map

  12. Location: Cheyenne, Wyoming March 8, 1908 Return to map The Flyer drew crowds as it passed through cities, towns and villages. In Cheyenne, Wyoming cowboys (shooting their guns in the air) escorted the Thomas. 

  13. Location: Somewhere out west!!!! Return to map

  14. Location: Tonapah, NevadaMarch 20, 1908 I recalled that we had sold several cars to owners near Tonopah, Nevada which was 75 miles south of Twin Springs. I reasoned I might be able to take what we needed from one of those cars? It was after dark now and I walked to a ranch house where I hired a horse for $20 starting off toward Tonopah. It was a little after 4 A.M. the next morning, and both the flea-bitten gray and I were exhausted. I saw an adobe ranch house, and knocked on the door. A woman’s voice responded. I asked for some food and a fresh horse in the morning. Her response “Don’t try to come in here mister… I have a scatter gun and I’ll shoot! My people have gone to Tonopah and there are no horses. You can find hay for your horse, and there’s a lean-to for you.” quick sand mired Flyer to make the repairs. Return to map

  15. Location: Valdez, AKApril 8, 1908 Return to map The Thomas Flyer arrives on the pier at Valdez, Alaska. Impossible conditions prevented using Bering Straits as a "bridge" to drive across. George Schuster-driver (right front), George Miller-mechanic (left front), George MacAdam-New York Times reporter (seated right rear fur collar), Hans Hansen-crew (standing left rear) April 8, 1908 

  16. Crowds begin to gather at the Times Square starting line in NYC. Over 250,000 spectators were on hand for the start of the 1908 New York to Paris Race. 

  17. Websites/ Sources used • http://www.thegreatautorace.com/ • http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?ie=UTF8&hl=en&msa=0&msid=117047155625108364832.000001130ded1a80b9c6b&ll=47.293449,8.599892&spn=146.38849,360&z=2&om=1 • http://www.thegreatestautorace.com/ • http://becpldigital.cdmhost.oclc.org/site-templates/nyparis-bib.html • http://www.flickr.com/photos/7148462@N03/421331850/

  18. Midlatitude, forest Mid-West Northeast Humid, mixed forest Rocky Mts Southeast High Altitude, Mountains Grassland, cold winds, flat Great Plains

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