The First Great American Road Trip

The First Great American Road Trip

June 26, 2026 · 29 min · Season 9 · Episode 13

About this episode

The episode recounts the incredible journey of Dr. Horatio Nelson Jackson as he undertakes the first great American road trip in 1903.

In 1903, America had only 150 miles of paved roads, no gas stations, and no highway maps. Crossing the continent by car was deemed impossible until Dr Horatio Nelson Jackson accepted a casual $50 bet to prove the sceptics wrong. Alongside mechanic Sewall K. Crocker and a goggle-wearing pit bull named Bud, Jackson embarked on a gruelling, breakdown-riddled, 63-day journey that changed transportation history forever.

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Host: Gary Kent

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