National Historic Road Caravan

Tin Can Tourists Caravan Celebrating the Bicentennial Anniversary of the Historic National Road

COMPLETED!!!

Terry Evan´s Art

We are in process of compiling the journal, pictures and newspaper articles from the caravan.

Recap page of the caravan

The Tin Can Tourists have been honored by the Six State Alliance of the Historic National Road by being chosen to participate in the Bicentennial Celebration. TCT in conjunction with the Six State Alliance have chosen 30 vintage trailers and motor coaches to travel the road from June 4-10, 2006 from mile marker zero in Cumberland, Maryland to its original terminus in Vandalia, Illinois. The selected RV´s will represent some of the industries premier manufactures from Airstream to Vagabond. Tow vehicles of similar vintage will tow many of the rigs. The Caravan will give people along the route a chance to see a rare Curtiss Aero Car towed by a custom International for the late 1930s and a 1936 Bowlus Road Chief towed by a 1937 Buick Roadmaster as well as other fine examples of trailers and motor coaches from the 40s 50s and 60s.

Bios of those participating in the caravan - pdf version

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Historic National Road Caravan Book

We took the best pictures from the caravan and made a coffee table book. Experience the caravan from those who participated. Filled with over 400 pictures and many stories from the road.

Detailed Schedule - TIN CAN TOURIST CARAVAN 2006

pdf version

Schedule as of 5/10/06

Cumberland: Caravan participants may arrive any day prior to June 3rd. early arrivals are expected to pay for camping prior to June 3rd. All participants shall be at the Allegany Fairgrounds for a 4:00 meeting on Saturday, June 3rd.
Fairgrounds address: 11490 Moss Ave. Extended, Cumberland, MD 21502
Allegany Fairgrounds Website - www.alleganycofair.org
Driving directions

Map of 11490 Moss Ave
Cumberland, MD 21502-5305



Directions to 11490 Moss Ave
Cumberland, MD 21502-5305

Saturday June 3
Participant meeting 4:00 pm at Fairgrounds
County Commissioners will be there to welcome the participants at 4:00 with a proclamation.
Also, on Saturday night 6:00 to 9:00 pm there will be a classic car & street rod show downtown Cumberland "Cruz in" at Canal Place at the Old Railroad Station. There is a nice restaurant there at the station and several others downtown. Everyone is welcome to come to the cruise-in, either to look around or display their old car.
We would like any Caravanner with a vintage car to take it to the Cruz in. They would love to have some of the trailers, also. There is ample parking and a great way to promote our Sunday morning open house and departure.
The Western Md. Rolling Sams are sponsoring your stay at the Fairgrounds.
There are showers and restrooms available, as well as full hookups at the sites.
We are asking caravan participants to bring any receipts from local merchants and place them in a box (with their name on the back) at the fairgrounds. We will pick one for a prize on Sunday morning. We obtained a nice prize from a local bank.
Contact person: Kim Shire 301-777-5134 kim@mdmountainside.com

Sunday June 4
Continental Breakfast provided by The Rolling Sam´s Club
10 am to Noon Open House
Departure 1:00 pm Police escort - parade out of Cumberland
Arrival at Stonebow Inn parking area adjacent to the Casselman River Bridge State Park, Spruce Forest Artisan Village, Stonebow Inn, Historic Stanton´ Mill and Amish-style Penn Alps Restaurant by 2:00 pm travel distance 29 miles to Grantsville
2:20 pm Lunch on own at Penn Alps Restaurant
2:50 pm Tour the 1818 Penn Alps Stagecoach Stop, 1813 Casselman River Bridge, 1797 Stanton’s Grist Mill and/or the Spruce Forest Artisan Village.
1806-style Lemonade and cookies will be served compliments of the Stonebow Inn.
3:20 pm Living History Program
Contact Deb Clatterbuck 301-387-4386
Departure from Grantsville 4:00 pm travel distance 8 miles to Addison
Arrival at Addison 4:30 pm
5:30 Dinner at Addison Methodist Church located less that a quarter mile down the street.
Betsy Barlow is coordinating the dinner; church phone number 814-395-3549
Addison Park accommodations - bathroom and electricity available - contact person, Dwayne Welling 814-395-5826

Monday June 5
9:00 am tour of the Addison Toll House; contact Dixie Hyatt 814-3549
Depart Addison 10:00 am travel distance 25 miles to Uniontown
Arrival in Uniontown before 2:00 pm
2:00 pm Tour of Oak Hill the J.V. Thompson mansion now occupied by the Sisters
4:00 Catered Dinner at St Macrina
5-8:00 Open House
Mt. Macrina will have bathrooms and showers available
Contact person Debbie Smith, National Road Office, 724-437-9877

Tuesday June 6
Depart Uniontown 10:00 am travel distance 12 miles to Brownsville
Arrival in Brownsville 10:30 am
Short stop Open House - tour of Flatiron Building and Heritage Center and the Frank L Melega Art Museum
Area restaurant Menus will be available for anyone wishing to have lunch
Contact is Norma Ryan - 724-323-4008 njryan@verizon.net
Depart Brownsville 1:00 pm travel distance 31 miles to Wheeling
Arrive Wheeling, Oglebay Park 3:00 pm
Westbound on Rt. 40 - turn right onto Rt 88 North. There is a stop light at this intersection - it’s well marked and you will see the "Sheets" gas station. It’s probably at mile 12 from the PA line - if have to check.
4:00 Tour of Oglebay Mansion Museum
6:00 pm to 9:00 pm Dinner, Open House, and musical entertainment
Dinner will be a cookout open to the public / free to the caravan and it will be in the shelter adjacent to the campsite.
No hookups at the site (possibility of some limited electric)
Restrooms and shower facilities are available.
Contact is Deb Keddie / Mobile 304.312.3068 - dkeddie@gowalkabout.com

Wednesday June 7
Depart Wheeling 7:30 am travel distance 61 miles to Zanesville, Ohio
Arrive Zanesville, Ohio 9:00 am
The National Road-Zane Grey Museum is actually in Norwich, Ohio. Zanesville is the nearest City. The museum address is 8850 East Pike, Norwich, Ohio 43767. The museum is 10 miles east of Zanesville and 4 miles west of New Concord on US 22 & 40. Museum admission for the group will be free. The stop is being publicized and the public is invited to come and see the vehicles during the stop.
Contact person: Alan King aking@ohiohistory.org or 740-872-3145
Depart Zanesville (Norwich)10:00 am travel distance 61 miles to Collumbus - Fuel stop available at Love’s Truck Stop at 605 Sonora Rd., which is at I-70 exit 160. It is easily accessible from U.S. 40.
Arrival Columbus 12 noon
Stop at __________ to organize for parade through Columbus - police escort
Short stop at the State Capital building on the National Road for greeting by Mayor and possibly the Governor.
We plan to have the Tin Can Tourist vehicles park on the street on the North, East and South sides. We will ask for a city permit to block one lane on Broad St., Third St. and State St. around the Statehouse on June 7 from 12 noon to 3 p.m. I think that will be enough space for all of the vehicles.
Contact person: Lynn Kartavich lkartavich@Experiencecolumbus.com or 614-222-6135: Cell 614-332-0400
Depart Columbus 2:00 pm travel distance 61 miles to Springfield
Arrive Springfield 4:00 pm
It will be held at Joes Grill (Bill Hart owner) on W. Main and North Street (W. Main is Route 40; after we cross Bechtel, go one block an turn left on to North - Joes is 5 blocks.
Parking in lot with electricity other amenities available.
Dinner at Joes; music provided
Contact person: Marian Vance 614-570-7504 marianjvance@yahoo.com

Thursday June 8
Depart Springfield 8:00 am travel distance 58 miles to Richmond
Arrive Richmond 9:30 am
10:00-10:30 am Welcome reception
Old National Road Welcome Center
5701 National Road 800-828-8414 or 756-935-8687
Contact person: Nancy Sartain nsartain@visitrichmond.org
Depart Richmond 10:30 am travel distance 34 miles to Knightstown with police escort
11:15 am -12:15 pm Historic Hoosier Gym Celebration
355 N. Washington St., Knightstown, Indiana
888-676-4302 or 765-593-0764
The Tin Can Tourists will be participating in the 20th anniversary celebration of the movie Hoosiers that was filmed in the Hoosier Gymnasium.
Contact person: Christine Mallette info@henrycountyin.org
Depart Knightstown 12:30 pm travel distance to Terre Haute 103 miles
Stop in Plainfield - maybe at Kmart since it is on the north side of the highway and has easy in and easy out - for a 10-15 minute (maximum) stop west of Indianapolis. A gasoline station is nearby.
Drive from Plainfield to Terre Haute. This can be done without police escort if necessary - it is a lovely rural road with few traffic lights - until you get to Brazil, where an escort will be available to get you through.
Terre Haute:
Police will meet you and escort you to Deming Park.
We are going to park the campers in various locations around the park so that people can drive through and see the RVs OR people can park their own cars and walk to see the RVS. Parking will be on pavement only. (After Open House you can stay put or move closer to bathhouse and facilities. Parking on pavement only.
4:30-7:30 Evening Gathering and Open House - Deming Park
500 South Fruitridge (Fruitridge and Ohio Boulevard)
A Terre Haute Political Rally Traditional Dinner will be provided by Wetnight RV, in business in Terre Haute 40 years. This will be served under a park shelter nearest the rest room facilities.
After dinner, Trish Eccles will lead the Evening Entertainment and will rely on members of the caravan to help.
Deming Park - swimming pool bath facilities non-alcoholic beverage park
Contact person: Trish Eccles - 812-877-3125 or cell for this event 812-243-1288 trish@eccles.net

Friday June 9
Depart Terre Haute to Clabber Girl Museum for tour 7:15 am
Museum tours and complimentary continental breakfast; reserved parking - Opened in 2002, the Clabber Girl/Hulman & Co. museum showcases the company´s history as well as the family history of the founder Herman Hulman. The Clabber Girl Museum is located in the first floor former lobby of the historic Hulman building. The building erected in 1892 at the corner of 9th Street and Wabash Avenue in Terre Haute, has served as the company´s headquarters for more than a century. This remains an active manufacturing plant. www.clabbergirl.com/images/museumbrochure.pdf
Depart Clabber Girl 9:30 am travel distance 43 miles to Greenup
Jerry Roll Executive Director, National Road Association of Illinois will join us in Terre Haute and lead the Caravan across Illinois to Vandalia. We will follow the original National Road route through the downtowns of the communities using the National Road Sign.
Arrive Greenup at 11:00 am
Parking will be in the center of this historic town. Snacks and drinks will be available.
Information regarding good restaurants, antique and craft shops that are located within a couple of blocks will be provided.
Depart Greenup at 1:00 pm travel 54 miles to Vandalia
The covered bridge is one mile west and a photo op stop will be arranged.
Contact Jerry Roll 217-849-3188 Cell 217-276-6884 jroll@rr1.net
Arrive Vandalia at 3:00 pm
Arrive and park on Gallatin Street for viewing. Proceed to Sonnemann Park; swimming pool bathhouse will be open for showers and rest room facilities. Supper will be "The Taste of the National Road" representing the heritage of each community in the Vandalia area. The local communities will provide the evening entertainment.

Saturday June 10 at Vandalia
Open House at Sonnemann Park - 10:00 am to 1:00 pm
Vendors from script provided by the Vandalia Tourism Commission will provide lunch.
During the afternoon Caravaners may tour the Oldest Capitol Building (1836); the Fayette County Museum or take a cemetery walk at the Old State Cemetery (1823)
The day will be capped off with the End of the Road Banquet at the Depot Restaurant, 6th St. at Main.
Contact person - Mary Truitt, 618-283-1534 (no cell) Truitt@swetland.net

Sunday June 11
Church options, breakfast options
Depart for personal destination

Terry Evan´s Art

Caravan Details

There will be a scheduled lunch stop a the historic high school that was the source for the movie Hoosiers. They are celebrating the 20 year anniversary of the award winning film.

The U.S Postal Service is issuing a stamp and giant postcard for the HNR 200 yr. anniversary that will travel the route in conjunction with the caravan.

The Federal Highway Department will be involved with the publicity of the Caravan.

Many communities are now requesting involvement, stops, and a chance to host an overnight.

Police escorts are being developed to guide us through some major cities and other places.

A questionnaire is being sent to all overnight hosts to compile a list of services that will be available to the caravan.

This caravan is not only a once in a life time opportunity for the participants but a once in a life time opportunity for the country to see a collection of trailers that will include trailers from the 30´s that will never be seen again collectively traveling on the road or grouped at a viewing area. All the principals have received a copy of our Snapshot Bios and will be using them to publicize the caravan.

During the initial stages for the caravan, there will be specific time to be at the next stop. We will cover some of the historic sites along a particular day´s travel and leave it up to you to map out your day´s travel. Because the travel distance is short, Open House opportunities may be scheduled during the evening or morning.

During the latter portion of the caravan, mass "caravan style" travel will be possible and Open Houses will be scheduled in the evening due to the necessity of earlier departures. Some of the overnight stops will be scheduling entertainment for us, also.

The intermediate stops, between overnights, will give us a break and will allow interested parties to meet participants and view the trailers, and motor coaches. Most of this would just be an outside walk around, unless you allow them to "take a peek".

The Historic National Road

In 1806, an Act of Congress allocated funds for George Washington´s Dream of building an all-weather road across the Allegany Mountains and into the heart of the frontier. President Thomas Jefferson signed the bill into law and The National Road; the nation´s first federally funded interstate highway was born. The road would eventually stretch for more than 800 miles and cross six states from its beginning at Baltimore, Maryland to its termination at the Mississippi in East St. Louis, Illinois.

Construction of the road began in 1811 at Cumberland, Maryland extending the already existing route from the seaport of Baltimore. It was know first as The Cumberland Road but has since been known by several names including The Great National Pike, The Old National Road and The National Trail. It took more than 25 years to complete as it crept across Maryland, Pennsylvania, West Virginia and eventually Ohio, Indiana, and Illinois. Unlike many privately built roads of this era, this one was free to travel.

By 1818, the road had reached Wheeling, then part of Virginia. West of Wheeling, the route continued on the path of Zane´s Trace, the first road in Ohio. An important aspect of The Historic National Road is the fact that many of the earlier Indian trails and colonial routes were interwoven into the road alignment, thus preserving their legacy.

By the late 1830´s, a lack of funds halted construction at the Ohio and Indiana border. In 1939, it finally reached Vandalia, then the Illinois state capital and the western end of the road. It was later completed to East St. Louis, opening a link to the water route of the Mississippi.

In the 1850´s, the increased popularity of railroads caused the road to go into decline. The National Road remained unimproved until the 1930´s, when it was paved and renamed "Route 40".

From 1950 to the 1970´s, a new limited-access highway system was constructed to parallel this famous old highway. Interstate Highways 68 and 70 became the main routes through this area. The age of high-speed travel had bypassed the history and charm of "Route 40".

Today, however, those interested in its preservation are rejuvenating this historic corridor. In 2000, this road was named a National Scenic Byway by the U.S. Federal Government and in 2002 it was designated an All American Road by the Federal Highway Administration and now is know as The Historic National Road.

If you spend some time and travel this road today, you will be treated to countless quaint, cultural and Historic venues along this "road that built the nation".

Tin Can Tourists: A Brief History

The Tin Can Tourists were organized at Desoto Park, Tampa, Florida, in 1919. They received the official state charter a year later. The groups stated objective was "to unite fraternally all autocampers". Their guiding principles were clean camps, friendliness among campers, decent behavior and to secure plenty of clean, wholesome entertainment from those in camp. The group known for the soldered tin can on their radiator caps grew rapidly during the twenties and thirties. Members could be inducted fellow campers through an initiation process that taught the prospective member the secret handshake, sign, and password. After singing the official song "The More We Get Together" the trailerite was an official member of the Tin Can Tourists of the World. Summer reunions were held at various Midwest locations, with Traverse City, Michigan serving as a primary host city. The club spent winters at Desoto Park until 1924. Because locals grew tired of their park being over run with northerners, the park was closed a month early in March. The canners took the hint and moved the Winter Convention to Arcadia, where the community had built a municipal park especially for the Tin Can Tourists. By 1932, with, membership estimates ranging from 30,000 to 100,000, city Chambers of Commerce were actively pursuing TCT to choose their community for either Homecoming, Winter Convention or Going Home meets. The Winter Convention was the best attended and was an economic boon to the host community. Sarasota had its eye on the prize and lured the Convention away from Arcadia in 1932. The vote on the Winter Convention site was hotly contested. Many Canners were loyal to Arcadia, the town that wanted them after their ejection from Tampa. A 250 strong car caravan let by Sarasota´s mayor and other public officials, help swing the vote selecting Sarasota as the Winter Convention site for 1932. As a concession to those that favored Arcadia, it was designated as the official site for Homecoming festivities. In 1938, the mayor of Sarasota indicated that the national perception that Sarasota was a tin can tourist´s town was hurting the community and that he would not renew the Winter Convention contract. Tampa offered the canners a five year deal to return to Tampa. It was accepted and the Winter Convention returned to specially built Municipal Park. The group faced membership declines due to combination of factors, (1) a schism with in the ranks and the formation of ATA, the Automobile Tourists Association, (2) an economic recession in 1939 that greatly diminished the number of trailer manufactures, and (3) the onset of World War II. Winter Convention photograph depict a much smaller group in 1948 at Tampa. The original groups "Swan Song" convention was held in Eustis, Florida in 1968. By the mid-70´s the club was no longer in existence in any form.

In 1998, Forrest and Jeri Bone renewed the club as an all make and model vintage trailer and motor coach club. The renewal gathering was held at Camp Dearborn, Milford, Michigan. Twenty-one rigs attended the May Renewal Gathering. By the end of the year, fifty members were accepted as charter members of the renewed version of the Tin Can Tourists. The group has grown steadily, currently holding Annual Gatherings in Michigan, Florida, and regional rallies at various locations in the US. Recently Regional Representatives have been added to represent England, Japan and France.

The new version of Tin Can Tourists is open to all. Its goal is to abide by the original group´s objectives and guiding principles as well as the promotion and preservation of vintage trailers and motor coaches through Gatherings and information exchange.

For additional information concerning the Caravan or Tin Can Tourists membership inquiries, visit us at tincantourists.com or via email at f23bone@earthlink.net. For those without computer access, call Forrest or Jeri during the summer at 248-684-0393 or winter 941-748-1483.

Caravan Advertising

Indiana National Road Association
Hindley´s Garage
Hoosier Gym
Hardy and Terry Evans
Arkansas Teardrop Camping
Denny Gibson National Road page
Bicentennial Brochure
Teardrop Trailer Calendar
Discover Ohio
National Road´s 200th birthday celebrated with special events
Visit Richmond - Festivals and Events
Indiana RV Lifestyle, Indiana´s online RV & camping magazine
IndyStar.com
Detroit Free Press - Sixth-grader to join Tin Can Tourists on the trail Wixom
The Cumberland Times-News - Tin Can Tourists will travel Historic National Road, beginning at the Queen City

National Road Information on the Web

THE NATIONAL ROAD by Robert Bruce
In the fall of 1914, Robert Bruce travelled the National Road and recorded his experiences in a work published by the National Highways Association in 1916. The portion of his "travel" log covering Allegany County will be presented here.

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