Luray Caverns Virginia - It's Not Just About the Caverns (3)

...continuing with our fall 2024 tour of the non-cavern attractions at Luray Caverns Virginia.  For those of you that aren't particularly interested in automobiles, the good news is that the post after this one will involve a non-automotive attraction at the Caverns.

This is a 1911 Hupmobile Roadster.  It has a bit of an unusual body design and it certainly has a 'sporty' look, especially for 1911.  It was manufactured by the Hupp Motor Car Company in Detroit Michigan.  With its upscale upholstery and it's 'look' it was the antique version of an 1960's MG sportscar.  It was promoted at the 'little car built better than the big ones.  It weighed 1,100 lbs., it had a 4-cylinder motor that developed 20 HP.

Hupmobile was a line of autos that were built between 1909 and 1939.  Like sports teams today, players frequently changed teams...or companies.  Bobby Hupp co-founded the Hupp Motor Car Company with Charles Hastings...who came from Oldsmobile.  Another key executive was Emil Nelson who had previously worked for both Oldsmobile and Packard.  Even after Bobby Hupp left the company, it was a strong competitor against Ford and Chevrolet.  By 1928, Hupp Motor Car Company's sales had reached over 65,000 units.  In the mid-1920s the company decided to build larger, more expensive autos.  In going for the higher-end market, Hupp forgot their established clientele.  The diversification meant that production of the many models became cost prohibitive as there weren't enough sales to support the variety offered.

This 'old-fashioned' looking auto is a Metz 1912 Roadster and it's another brass era automobile.  It featured something called a 'friction-type drive'.  A steel disc rotating in one plane/angle drove a fiber disc at a 90 degree plane to the steel disc.  The motor turns the steel disc and the fiber disc turns the drive wheel.  Too technical for me!  This roadster does feature a 'Mother-in-Law' rumble seat in the back.  The cost of this car was $475.00.  It featured a 4-cylinder engine that produced 22.5 HP.

The Metz Company began business in 1886 making bicycle parts.  Later as the company got involved with the automobile business, Metz did offer the first known "kit automobile" on an installment plan.  The buyer would buy 14 groups of parts on an installment plan for $27.00 each.  Then the customer could be put the auto together with the plans and tools provided.  Total price came to $378.00.  A factory-assembled automobile could be purchased for $475.00.  This plan continued until the kits couldn't compete with dealer-supplied Model T Fords.  Metz also produced light trucks but shortly after World War I the company folded.

This is a 1912 Ford Humpback delivery truck.  Made in Detroit and costing $700.00, it had a 2-speed transmission, a 4-cylinder motor that produced 20 HP.  Early on the Ford Motor Company produced Model T automobiles and or motorized chassis that other companies would outfit with whatever truck body the customer needed.  Some of these bodies were scratch-built at home but most of them were sourced from a known company or builder.  With the Ford Model T being so popular, it didn't take long for Ford to diversify into light trucks...cutting out most of the companies that were building specialty bodies.

This is yet another version of a Ford Model T truck, this time serving as a milk delivery truck.  How many folks even remember home delivery milk trucks!?  When this 1914 Model T truck was refurbished for the museum, the original lettering could still be seen, making it easy to 'freshen up'.  The 4-cylinder 22.5 HP motor achieved about 20 miles for each gallon of gas.

1914 was the last year that Ford installed gas lamps/headlights on their vehicles.  It was also the first year that Ford actually fully assembled trucks on the assembly line...

Now for some more exotic automotive creations... This is a 1932 Rolls-Royce Shooting Brake and it was built in Derby England.  This special automobile originally cost $15,800 and it is equipped with a 6-cylinder motor producing 25.3 HP.  Top speed was about 50 MPH.

This vehicle's main function was to serve as a 'gentlemen's hunting wagon'.  This luxury vehicle was used to carry hunting or shooting parties along with their weapons, equipment and game.  There actually were 81 of these hand-built vehicles produced in 1932.  The coachwork by Crosbie and Dunn Ltd. of England, was constructed using Honduran and African mahogany. 

Hey!  This is an exotic vehicle too... There are different ways to define exotic!  This is a 1925 Graham Brothers "Black Maria", really a portable jail.  This 35 HP truck was rugged and simple...and it was a secure way to transport evildoers.  Love the Luray Caverns paint job!

The Graham Brothers started out producing kits to convert Ford Model Ts into trucks and to modify the newer Ford Model TT's (heavier duty) trucks.  Eventually they began building their own trucks.  From 1921 and 1929 the Graham Brothers manufactured all of the trucks for Dodge...using Dodge engines.  Actually, in 1925 Dodge purchased the Graham Brothers truck company and the Grahams were brought on board at Dodge as key executives.  As a subsidiary of Dodge, by 1926 the Graham Brothers were the largest company in the world that was dedicated to truck manufacturing.

Luckily for the reader, I'm not going to go into the history of Mercedes-Benz.  Nevertheless, this is indeed a Mercedes-Benz classic car.  This Model S Tourwagen was built Stuttgart Germany in 1928, and only 7 vehicles using this chassis were built.  The auto was designed by Ferdinand Porsche and it was built by Daimler-Benz.  This was one of the first autos built under the Mercedes-Benz name.  Costing $15,000, this was a fast car.  This beast of an auto weighed 5,511 lbs., and it was equipped with a 6-cylinder supercharged motor producing 220 HP.  It could reach speeds of 110 mph.

Cord automobiles are another luxury brand that I've expounded on previously.  This is a 1930 Cord L-29 Phaeton.  It features front wheel drive with the transmission mounted in front of the engine.  Strangely, the shift lever is mounted on the dash panel.  The motor is a water cooled Lycoming straight-8 cylinder that developed 120 HP.  It's original cost was $2,595.00

If you love automobiles or even just innovative design, a visit to the Auburn Cord Duesenberg Automobile Museum in Auburn Indiana.  Check it out at https://automobilemuseum.org/.  The website itself is chock full of great automobile photos...

I'll end this post with this 1935 Hispano-Suiza Drophead Coupe.  FYI, Hispano-Suiza refers to the original Spanish-Swiss collaboration that led to this line of automobiles.  This model was created for the 1935 Paris Auto Show.  It has a dual ignition system, an 8-cylinder motor that develops 132 HP and it cost $20,000 new.  The accent trim and other exterior appointments were made with solid brass and German silver.  The Hispano-Suiza Company had it's start in 1904 with plants in both France and Spain.  It didn't hurt the company's reputation that these autos had earned the affection of Spanish King Alfonso XIII. 

The Hispano-Suiza Automotive Company is still making automobiles today...over 120 years later.  If you have the resources, you can order a Carmen Sagrera...shown above.  There is only a 9-month waiting period before delivery.  This automobile is yet another effort to save the planet in that it is fully electric.  Developing 1,019 HP, it will accelerate from 0 to 60 mph in 3 seconds.  Cost - $3,200,000 plus taxes.

On the other hand, you could pick up an older model for a more reasonable price.  In August 2022, a 1936 Hispano-Suiza J12 Cabriolet was purchased by someone in Monterey County California for a mere $1,050,000.

That's all for now.  Just click on any of the photos to enlarge them...

Thanks for stopping by for a visit!

Take Care, Big Daddy Dave

Luray Caverns Virginia - It's Not Just about the Caverns! (2)

...continuing with our tour of the 'Non-Cavern' attractions at Luray Caverns in Virginia.  If you follow me very often, you have noticed that I'm into old and/or classic cars and trucks.  Returning to where I left off on my last blog post, this is a continuation of our perusal of classic antique vehicles at the museum.  Fortunately for me, Laurie also likes viewing old cars, trains, planes and ships.  One of her wishes is to be able to fly on either a PBY Catalina (water take off and landing please) or a D.C. 3 or it's military version, the C-47.

Now on to some strange and wonderful old cars and trucks... Some are classics and some were more utilitarian.

This is a 1903 Knox 7-passenger Touring Model.  It's one cylinder engine produced 10 HP.  An interesting feature is this vehicle's cooling system.  Called a 'porcupine' cooling system, it features studs driven into the cylinder wall to carry off the engine heat.  The Knox was advertised as the car that never drinks.  How do 7 passengers fit into this automobile?  There is a front folding seat that can be opened up that seats 2 adults.  

The Knox Automobile Company was based in Springfield Massachusetts.  The company built cars from 1900 until 1914.  They continued building trucks and farm tractors until 1924.  Knox built the first modern fire engine in 1905 as well as the first American vehicle equipped with hydraulic brakes, in 1915.

This interesting blue beauty is a 1903 Winton.  Apparently the back seat can be easily removed, allowing what appears to be a full-size touring touring car to be transformed into a sporty roadster.  The 2-cylinder water-cooled engine produces 20 HP.  In 1896 Scottish immigrant, Alexander  Winton, turned from producing bicycles to developing motor cars.  In 1898, he sold his first car, (one of if not the first car to be sold in the USA), to a customer who's seen an advertisement in "Scientific American" magazine.  

To prove his automobile's durability, Winton had one of his cars undergo an 800 mile endurance run from Cleveland to New York City.  In 1898, Winton sold 21 more vehicles, including to James Ward Packard...who later founded the Packard Automobile Company.  In 1899, the Winton Motor Carriage Company sold more than 100 autos, making the company the largest manufacturer of gasoline-powered vehicles in the USA.  The Winton Motor Carriage Company ceased automobile production in February of 1924 but the separate Winton Engine Company continued, and was purchased by General Motors in 1930.

Note: In 1903, Dr. Horatio Nelson Jackson made the first successful automobile 'road trip' across the USA.  Using a slightly used Winton touring car and accompanied by a mechanic, the team drove from San Francisco to Manhattan in New York City.  The trip lasted 63 days, 12 hours and 30 minutes including breakdowns and delays waiting for spare parts.  At that time there were only 150 miles of paved road in the entire country.  The 'cross country' Winton is on display at the Smithsonian Museum.

In 1909 the fall Sears Catalog included an automobile for the first time...The Sears Motor Buggy.  Sears foray into the automotive business began with the company fitting a motor on their best horse-drawn  buggy model.  It had tiller steering and high wheels for navigating the rough roads and terrain of the day and it was equipped with a 2-cylinder dual-exhaust engine that produced 14 HP.

The initial run of Sears Motor Buggies were built in 1908 by the Hercules Buggy plant in Evansville Indiana.  But by the fall of 1909, the Sears Motor Car Works began operations.  In the first year of production, the automobile was offered only as a $395.00, solid-tired runabout.  But in 1910, the company offered 5 different models of the Motor Buggy.  In fact it was the same car with different amenities, such as fenders, lights, tops, etc.

Despite praise from satisfied customers, Sears had a problem.  The car cost more to produce than the company was getting from its sales.  Production ended by 1912.  Note the photo above... I did find a Sears Motor Buggy that was sold at auction in August of 2022.  The winning bid totaled $13,850, which coincidentally is about today's dollar equivalent of the original price...

This elegant automobile was built in St. Denis France.  The Delaunay-Belleville Town Car was built in 1908.  It powered by a 6-cylinder motor that developed 20 HP.  This town car has been driven over 300,000 miles At the start of the 20th Century, this company was perhaps the most desirable French marque to be attached to your prestigious automobile.  By 1906, Emperor Nicholas II of Russia owned one.  Other royals with Delaunay-Bellville autos included King George I of Greece and King Alphonso XIII of Spain. 

All the Delaunay-Belleville vehicles were sold as a bare chassis body...and high-end specialty coach builders, in this case Kellner and Ses Fils of Paris, was responsible for the luxurious features shown above.  Note the solid mahogany coach work, the original upholstery and the leather 3-stage fenders.  

The Kellner firm also built bodywork for upscale European automobiles such as Hispano-Suiza, Rolls-Royce, Delage, Renault as well as one of the 6 Bugatti Royales ever built.

Even for 1909, this high-wheel Schacht Model K had an 'old-fashioned look.  The carriage style wheels were designed for navigating rural roads with their mud and ruts without getting bogged down.  Featuring a 2-cylinder motor, the Schacht Model K cost $650.00 back in the day.

Originally the Schacht Manufacturing Company built buggies.  But, beginning in 1904, the company built automobiles and 'high-wheelers'.  Renamed the Schacht Motor Car Company, over 9,000 cars were built between 1904 and 1913.  Automobile production ceased in 1914 and the company was rebranded as the G.A. Schacht Motor Truck Company.  The truck company continued to build trucks and fire trucks until 1938.

Backing up for a moment, time-wise, this is a 1907 International Autowagon.  As with the Autobuggy, International Harvester, a company that was formed by the merger and buy outs of other corporations, had been making farm machinery for several years.  However, as autos and trucks became more practical and accepted, like Sears had taken their best buggy and put a motor on it, that's exactly what International Harvester did with its best spring wagon.  

International Harvester also built auto buggies from 1907 through 1912.  There were both air and water cooled versions of the Autowagon.  The company continued manufacturing Autowagons until 1917.  The history of International Harvester is too confusing for me to summarize here.  To learn more about International Harvester and its progenitors, you can just go to https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_Harvester.

This is a rare 1909 Middleby roadster.  It was actually discovered in Luray, where it had been owned by the former freight agent for the Norfolk and Western Railway.  This may be the only Middleby in existence.  With its wooden frame, large air cooling fan and original white rubber tires, it is a special auto indeed.  It was powered by a 4-cylinder motor producing 20 HP.  

The Middleby Auto Company was a 'brass era' automobile manufacturer that was based in Reading Pennsylvania.  Just looking at this car, it's obvious why it is considered to be part of the 'brass era' in American auto building.  Customers paid $850.00 to own a Middleby, about $30,000 in today's dollars.  Standard equipment included a 3 speed transmission plus reverse, 2 gas lamps, 2 side oil lamps, a rear lamp, tools and a French horn.  By 1910, the company had sold about 400 cars.  Founded in 1908, it went out of business by 1913.

This classic black touring model is a 1914 Westcott.  When it was found it only had 1,700 miles on it.  Since then it was given new tires, a new top and it's been repainted.  However the engine hasn't been touched.  The 6-cylinder 60 HP motor will cross any mountain in Virginia in high-gear without any issues.  Note that the brass era was over by 1914 and a nickel-tin finish had replaced it.

First manufactured in Richmond Indiana and later in Springfield Ohio, the Westcott Motor Car Company was in operation from 1909 until 1925.  Production reached 2,000 cars in 1917 and it peaked by 1920.  Westcotts were hand-built and the company had not adopted the cost saving production line methods used by other manufacturers.  The company collapsed due to debts owed to suppliers.  

Note: Burton Westcott was a client of architect Frank Lloyd Wright who designed a Prairie School style house for the family in Springfield Ohio in 1904.  As you can see in the photo above, the house has been refurbished and maintained over the years.  Today it is open to the public.  Go to https://www.westcotthouse.org/ to learn more.

I'll end this post with this 1910 Maxwell Roadster.  It was a very popular automobile back in its era and it was one of the 'base' autos that was involved in the creation of the Chrysler Corporation...now Stellantis North America.  This roadster was powered by a 2-cylinder motor that developed 14 HP.  Note the lack of a windshield.  Goggles were an obvious necessity!

Originally Maxwell automobiles were built in Tarrytown New York but in 1907 after a fire, the company opened a new modern automobile factory in New Castle Indiana.  The basic materials needed to build a car came in one end of the plant and finished cars came out the other end.  This plant was in use by Chrysler until 2004.  Chrysler had acquired Maxwell in 1925.  For a significant period of time, Maxwell was considered one of the 3 top automobile firms in the USA, along with GM and Ford. 

For those of us old enough to remember...and who still can remember...a decrepit old Maxwell was famous as the car that Jack Benny drove long after they were no longer built.  The running joke on his radio and TV shows was that Benny was too tight with the dollar to buy himself a new or newer used car...as long as the old one still ran.

It is worthy of note that Maxwell was one of the first automobile manufacturers that marketed specifically to women.  In 1909 the company received a lot of publicity when it sponsored Alice Huyler Ramsey, an early advocate of women drivers, as the first woman to drive coast-to-coast across the United States.  By 1914, the company had strongly aligned itself with the women's rights movement.

Sorry about being so 'wordy' but I like the research...and the learning.  Just click on any of the photos to enlarge them.

Thanks for stopping by for a visit!

Take Care, Big Daddy Dave

A "New" Local Restaurant and More...

...taking a break from my posts about last fall's road trip, this time its about a local restaurant we hadn't dined at previously as well as a couple of miscellaneous item. 

Although the Victory Bar and Grill opened last fall and it is only about 10 minutes from our home, if it wasn't for long time fellow blogger Larry at https://bigdudesramblings.blogspot.com/, we might not have noticed it for several more months.  Our powers of observation have apparently deteriorated.

The interior of the Victory Bar and Grill is in the warm and welcoming industrial sports bar 'look', perfect for a local hangout.  It was a bit early for dinner but the bar was busy.

The appetizer portion of the menu list 11 items diners or sports fans can order with their meals or just to nosh on during a sporting event.  I would have ordered the Buffalo Chicken Dip but it isn't something that Laurie is crazy about.  I also liked the idea of the Brisket Queso... I was fairly sure that she'd want the Fried Cheese Curds, but instead she went for her perennial favorite, the Fried Pickle Chips. ($9.00) They were quite nice, a cut above average. 

For Laurie's entree, she decided to go with a dinner salad.  There are 3 different dinner salads on the menu at Victory Bar and Grill.  She chose the Fried Chicken Tender Salad...Buffalo style. ($13.00) She really enjoyed her dinner...and thanks to all those pickle chips, she took part of the salad home.  She had it for dinner the following night. 

There are plenty of options to chose from at Victory Bar and Grill.  Buffalo Chicken Cheddar Mac 'n Cheese, 3 different steak options, wings with 12 sauces or rubs, flatbread pizza and then of course, there are the Signature Handhelds.  I chose the Fried Chicken Sandwich for my entree.  Basically, it consisted of fried chicken tenders on a nice brioche bun with cheddar cheese, a choice of sauce and the usual lettuce, pickles and tomato slice. ($12.00)  Instead of the usual French fries, I opted for the (healthier?) garlic baby potatoes.

My only issue with this entree was that the 'chicken tenders' were flat (pounded)or just too thin.  When I have a sandwich, I look forward to the protein or heart of the sandwich to kick it up a notch.  On the other hand, the garlic baby potatoes were a great side option and there were plenty of them.  I took some home to have for breakfast with a couple of eggs.

We will return soon.  I'm looking for a good place for wings...and I'll side them with more of those garlic baby potatoes.  Victory Bar and Grill is located at 1265 US Hwy 411 in Vonore Tennessee.  They are open daily for lunch and dinner.  Phone: 423-884-2319.  Website: https://victorybargrillvonore.com/.   

Moving on to spring and a bit of food at our house...

Despite up and down temperatures and the fact that this photo was taken a couple of weeks before spring actually arrive, our flowering quince and its companion forsythia have once again reassured us that warmer weather is coming.  As you can see, the forsythia is actually past it's prime blooming phase.

Even more importantly our favorite spring blooms are now in full force.  While many folks love the dogwood blooms above all else, although we too enjoy them, our favorites are the delicate blooms that the redbud trees produce.  They usually bloom before the dogwoods but we did have one spring a few years back when both bloomed at about the same time.  It was a wonderful sight indeed.

Laurie captured this photo of an eager homebuilder at work.  This male eastern towhee had patiently worked on a small bush to free up this vital ingredient for nest building and he was about to fly off to the site of he and his mate's new home.

Although to my eye, they resemble a robin, the eastern towhee is actually classified as a large New World sparrow.  They prefer breeding in brushy areas, nesting in low bushes or on the ground under shrubs.

Of course, I just 'have to' close this blog post with food photos!  We discovered that we could purchase pre-seasoned salmon on a cedar plank at our smallish local Food Lion grocery store.  There was enough salmon (very nice indeed) that I could reheat the leftovers (in butter of course), place it on a slice of buttered rye toast and then top it with a couple of easy over eggs.  It was a great breakfast!

There is a small local donut chain in our area and one location is in Lenoir City Tennessee.  It's owned/operated by a very nice couple from the Philippines who immigrated to the US many years ago.  This is their latest creation/addition to their great repertoire of sweets that customers have to chose from.  This beauty is a glazed croissant donut and it is now Laurie's favorite and my second most favorite...after their apple fritter.  This donut crossover is lighter than a typical glazed cake donut and it is just excellent!

Reviews on Google give Master Donuts in Lenoir City 4.8 stars out of 5 with 413 reviews.  TripAdvisor lists 80 reviews, with 76 reviews scoring very good or excellent.  Master Donuts is located at 507 East Broadway.  Phone: 865-816-6058.  

Just click on any of the photos to enlarge them...

Thanks for stopping by for a visit!

Take Care, Big Daddy Dave

Luray Caverns Virginia - It's Not Just about the Caverns! (1)

...continuing with our October road trip which started in Eastern Tennessee, cut back across Kentucky, then over the Ohio River into the States of Ohio, then West Virginia and Pennsylvania, finally heading south through Maryland and into Virginia.  The State of Virginia represented the last leg of our journey...but we took full advantage of attractions along the way home.

My last post was about Luray Caverns...and the beginning of our tour of the 'other attractions' at the Luray Caverns complex.  You may remember that my last post involved 'wheeled' vehicles, actually a child's goat cart as well as a clown's circus tricycle.  I hinted at what was to come...in that if anyone has followed me for any length of time, they know that I really appreciate vehicles involved in transportation: trains, planes, horse/mule drawn conveyances and of course automobiles as well as other motorized vehicles.   

Luray Caverns features a very interesting grouping of vehicles...and this is just Part One of the autos on display.

This ornate carriage was built in Paris for a member of the Portuguese Royalty in the mid-1700s.  In its original condition, it would have been pulled by a team of 2 or 4 horses.  The style is a "Berlin Coupe de Gala", with only 2 seats in the carriage.  The gilded carriage features a royal crest and a gilded surface painted with cherubs and mythological characters.  This is one of the oldest carriages on display in the United States. 

This 1900 Steam Pumper Fire Engine was built by the Manchester Locomotive Works in Manchester New Hampshire.  It was delivered to the Watertown New York Fire Department in 1900 and later it served in the Adams New York Fire Department.  The steam pumper would use whatever source or water that was available to fight a fire.  Originally pulled by 2 or 3 horses, it was still in use in the 1920 but it was being pulled by a truck.  The Firestone rubber tires replaced the original steel banded tires, creating a smoother ride.

The Manchester Locomotive Works originally built steam locomotives for the railroads, starting in 1855.  The steam fire truck portion of the business was acquired in the late 1880s.  The company was absorbed into the American Locomotive Company in 1901 and all production ceased as of 1913. 

This handsome coach was built by Holland and Holland in London England between 1840 and the late 1850s.  It was the 'mass transit' or 'bus' of its day.  Note all of the internal and external seating available.  Drawn by a team of 4 matched horses, it could carry as many as 20 passengers and their luggage.  

For about 100 years, Holland and Holland built carriages, coaches and even limousine auto bodies, including electric 'carriages' into the early 1900s.  The company was known for the quality of their products.  As railroads took over mass transport, Holland and Holland became known for their luxury private coaches and carriages for the wealthy gentlemen who wished to drive their own conveyances with their teams of horse, just for the pleasure of it.  The company was purchased by a competitor in 1912.

I'm unsure of the date when this stunning wicker baby buggy was built, or even the builder, but it is a beauty.  Note the boat shape body designed for the comfort of the baby.  The carriage is equipped with a foot brake so it could be secured when the nanny or parent wanted to stop and chat. 

Wicker baby carriages or buggies, were popular in the USA roughly from the 1880s into the early 1900s.  Wicker was popular because it was light weight and very durable.  As the photo above demonstrates, these carriages were not just functional.  They also symbolized status and elegance with their ornate designs and high-spoke wheels.  I did note that for a number of years the Sears catalog featured a wide variety of wicker baby carriages.

To view an amazing collection of wicker baby buggies or carriages, just go to https://www.pinterest.com/maryannquay/wicker-baby-carriages-i-love-them/.

As indicated on the covering on this carriage, it served as transportation for early visitors to Luray Caverns.  It was in service from about 1910 until 1920.  The fare was 25 cents...the equivalent of about $8.35 today.

The caverns were discovered in 1878 and the land over and around the caverns were purchased in 1905 by the great grandfather of the current owners.  The business has been in the family for 120 years!  In 1906, a total of 18,000 people visited the caverns.  As of 2018, the number of annual visitors had risen to 500,000!  The caverns have been designated as a National Natural Landmark.

The placard is hard to read but this is an 1898 Benz "Vis-a-Vis" model.  Built by Karl Benz, (before Mercedes), in Manheim Germany, this is one of the very first cars produced in any quantity for resale to customers.  It is equipped with a 5 HP motor and it is one of the oldest autos on display in the USA.

Karl Benz, first photo above, patented the first internal combustion engine in a car...the "Benz Patent Motorwagen", in January 1886.  He financed it through his wife-to-be Bertha's dowry.  As a single woman, she could invest or do with her money whatever she wanted.  Once married, women in Germany at that time no longer had that right.  Bertha (second photo) was his business partner and investor.  

She was the first person to drive an internal combustion engine powered vehicle, over a long distance...66 miles.  In August of 1888, Bertha and her two sons undertook this adventure without telling her husband or without the permission of the authorities.  Karl had no comprehension as regarded marketing their invention, but Bertha knew that if the trip succeeded, lots of positive publicity would result.  If you ever saw the old Mercedes ad about this first automobile road trip, the story is correct with Bertha solving operational issues along the route.  As they say, the rest of the Benz/Mercedes story is history.

To view the ad depicting Bertha's historic road trip, click on this link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vsGrFYD5Nfs.  

Bright and colorful as it is, this 1899 Peugeot's Type 26 Vis-a-Vis model seems counterintuitive.  Seating 4, the seats face each other.  Had to be hard for the driver to see where he was going.  This early automobile had a 4 HP engine and it could move along at 20 mph.  Given that its called the Vis-a-Vis model, it makes sense in this case...as it means 'face-to-face in French.

I 'borrowed' this second photo from the Internet and the quality of the picture leaves a lot to be desired.  However, I wanted to show how this unusual automobile was steered.  Up to this point, most automobiles were steered with a stick/rudder or a steering wheel.  This model Peugeot was steered via the 2-handled crossbar as shown in the middle of the picture.  Peugeot adopted the steering wheel as we know it in 1901.  

Peugeot automobiles are still produced.  Peugeot is one of the 14 brands owned by the Stellantis Corporation.  Some of the company's other brands include Chrysler, Dodge, Fiat, Jeep and Ram Trucks.

This 1903 Speedwell Roadster is a bit of a mystery to me... According to the placard this 1-cylinder 6 HP vehicle was built in Manchester England by the Speedwell Motor Car Company.  I tried to research the history of that company and I came up blank.  There was plenty of history/information about the Speedwell Motor Car Company in Dayton Ohio (1907 - 1914), but this roadster predates the American company.  I did note that the average man today would not be able to put his legs under the steering wheel of this automobile.

I'll end this post with this 1905 Riley "Tri-Car", a 3-wheel car designed for those who don't like their passenger...or perhaps to act in the capacity of a taxi.  This vehicle was powered through a chain drive driving the single rear wheel.  It featured a 2-cylinder 6 HP engine.  One obvious problem or challenge was that the driver sat behind the passenger...visually awkward at best.

In this instance I could find some information about the Riley Cycle Co. Ltd... I learned that William Riley Jr. owned the company and he had little interest in building automobiles.  The family business was bicycles...and automobiles were the 'enemy' that threatened the business.  However his middle son, Percy, persisted and this vehicle is the result of his persistence.  In 1900, Riley sold just one 3-wheeled automobile but, with his brother's help, their father was eventually won over to motorized vehicles including motorcycles, 3-wheel chain driven cars like this one and then true 4-wheel automobiles.    

Just click on any of the photos to enlarge them...

Thanks for stopping by for a visit!

Take Care, Big Daddy Dave

Through the Forest to Luray Virginia

...continuing with our September/October 2024 road trip...the final phase of which was working our way south through Virginia toward our home in East Tennessee.  After our brief stop in Edinburg, we head south and east on back roads toward Luray Virginia. 

Following VA Hwy 675, we wandered through a narrow portion of the George Washington National Forest.  This particular National Forest covers 1,064,176 acres, about 33,600 acres of which are located in Page and Warren Counties that we were passing through. 

Administratively, the George Washington and Jefferson National Forests are managed as one unit.  Between the 2, a total of 2,800 square miles of land is protected.  Almost 140,000 acres of the National Forest have been designated at "wilderness areas"...no vehicles and no development allowed.

Note: These two National Forests cover an area larger than the State of Delaware.

This is a great example of our favorite style of highway driving!  Peaceful and almost no traffic... We wandered through the woods across the ridge that is part of this portion of the George Washington National Forest.

This view was one of our 'rewards' from following this byway from Interstate I-81 toward Luray.  That's the part of the Blue Ridge Mountains, itself a portion of the 2,000 mile long Appalachian Mountain chain.  I'm guessing that those little red flags will be replaced by guardrails.  

Once we reached Luray Virginia, our goal was the Luray Caverns attraction.  The fact is that we've done a lot of cave walking over the years and at my age and stage, there is no way that I could tour a cave.  But, the fact is that Luray Caverns is much more that an interesting big cave complex.  

I had called ahead and talked to the front office at Luray Caverns.  I told them that I was unable to tour the caves but that I sure would like to visit the remainder of the attraction.  Was there a way we could do that without fronting $64.00 for Cavern tickets?  I was told that all we had to do was to tell the admissions that we could visit the rest of the attraction without paying...and if there was a problem, just have them call the office.  Now this was a deal!

So, other than the caverns, (obviously the main attraction), there are 4 other attractions at Luray Caverns.  There is a Rope Adventure Park (not for us), The Garden Maze (not for us), Car and Carriage Museum (yea!), Shenandoah History Village (yea) and, there also is a toy museum. (ok) Plenty to see and do!

The toy collection or museum at Luray Caverns isn't hyped as much as the other attractions but Laurie and I both enjoyed wandering down "memory lane".  This large model railway display occupies the center of the space.  

Laurie took this photo of the railway bridge over the canyon.  If you look closely, you can see the images of a couple of toy airplanes hanging from the ceiling as well as a carousel horse behind the railway display's church steeple. 

I've always been fascinated by miniatures and love the close-up detail one can create.  I do remember when Trailways and Greyhound buses looked like the one in this photo...and love that Ford 'ragtop'! 

Being from the Midwest, we never saw electric power locomotives like this one.  I still prefer the look of, if not the smoke from, old time coal burning locomotives.

This is one of the few photos we took of toys that weren't part of the train exhibit.  Its the only one that I liked.  While a variety of "Rocket Racer" cars were produced and can be bought on the Internet, this is one of the truly rare ones.  From the 1930s, this is a rare Marx Rocket Racer Tin Lithograph Wind Up Toy.  It is roughly 18" long.  I found one on sale on eBay that isn't as pristine as this one is.  Asking price $499.95.

If you are over 55 years old, you should remember Marx toys.  Louis Marx and Company was in business from 1919 until 1980.  Toys that the company produced included tin toys of many types, toy soldiers, toy guns, action figures, dolls, toy cars and model trains.  Rock'em Sock'em Robots and Big Wheels tricycles were Marx products.  Marx's larger and costlier toys were staple items for catalog and departments store retailers, including J.C. Penney, Sears and Montgomery Ward. (The latter company being one of my key career stops)

These last two photos in this blog post are indeed children's toys, but they also lead into future posts from Luray Caverns.  Note that these are technically 'wheeled vehicles'.

Reading the plaque at this angle is challenging, so I'll do it for you.  This elaborate child's goat cart...powered by two 'billy' goats...was built in 1905 at the J. W. Clinedirst Factory in New Market Virginia.  Why was it so fancy?  Simple answer...it was built for the factory owner's grandchildren.  Looking on-line, no actual goat powered carts are shown that even approximate the look of this luxury toy.

Technically, this isn't a child's toy but rather a toy or prop designed to entertain children.  This horse tricycle was built sometime in the mid-1920s or 1930s for clowns to use in a circus.  It moved by pumping the handlebars up and down and as it moved, it 'rocked' like a child's rocking horse.

Do you remember the excitement when the traveling circus came to town?  Laurie and I remember the colorful and very impressive Ringling Bros. and Barnum and Baily Circus train passing through Des Plaines Illinois.  On one occasion Laurie visited the site of the fair near O'Hare Airport in Chicago... Her mission was to collect animal 'poop' from the elephants, horses and tigers that she could use to fertilize her flower beds.  It was free!  

The Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus, the largest circus in the USA, closed its traditional big top in 2017.  New types of entertainment including video games as well as animal welfare campaigns significantly contributed to the demise of most traveling circuses.  In 1905, there were 46 traveling circuses in the USA and by 1937 there were about 300 traveling circuses or shows of varying sizes.  Today there are just a handful of relatively small traveling circuses, many of which don't feature 'wild' animals. 

Just click on any of the photos to enlarge them...

Thanks for stopping by for a visit!

Take Care, Big Daddy Dave