Horatio's Drive: America's First Road Trip - PBS

Horatio's Drive: America's First Road Trip is a 2003 documentary film directed by Ken Burns and written by Dayton Duncan. Its subject is the first cross-country automobile journey in the United States, which occurred during the summer of 1903. The documentary focuses primarily on Horatio Nelson Jackson and his Winton car, The Vermont; along with his companions Sewall K. Crocker, his pet bulldog Bud and frequent correspondence with Jackson's wife Bertha Richardson Wells (called "Swipes" by Jackson). The journey became a race among three teams, the winners being Jackson and Crocker.

The documentary has a companion book and audiobook, Horatio's Drive: America's First Road Trip, authored by Dayton Duncan and Ken Burns, published by Knopf in 2003.

America’s First Road Trip

In the spring of 1903, on a whim and a fifty-dollar bet, Dr. Horatio Nelson Jackson set off from San Francisco in a 20-horsepower Winton touring car hoping to become the first person to cross the United States in the new-fangled "horseless carriage." At the time there were only 150 miles of paved roads in the entire country, all of them within city limits. There were no gas stations and virtually no road maps as we know them today. Most people doubted that the automobile had much of a future. Jackson's trip would prove them wrong. 

Traveling with his co-driver Sewall K. Crocker and a bulldog named Bud (who wore goggles, just like his master, to keep the dust from his eyes), Jackson had the adventure of his life. He encountered pioneers in wagon trains, cowboys who used their lariats to tow him out of sand drifts, ranch wives who traded homecooked meals for a brief ride on the "Go-Like-Hell Machine," and people who deliberately sent him miles out of his way just so their relatives could get their first glimpse of an automobile. 

His car, which he christened the Vermont in honor of his home state, splashed through streams, got stuck in buffalo wallows, bounced over railroad trestles to cross major rivers, and frightened horses on the dusty trails. And as he moved eastward, his quest slowly became a national sensation, with huge crowds (tipped off by the telegraph of his approach) lining the streets of town as he whizzed through at 20 miles per hour. "It Startled the Natives," one headline proclaimed; another announced "A Real Live Auto." 

This was America's first transcontinental road trip, and like all road trips that would follow it included the usual mix of breakdowns and flat tires, inedible meals and uncomfortable beds, getting lost and enduring bad weather — and having a truly unforgettable experience crossing the nation's vast landscape. Throughout it all, Jackson's indomitable spirit and sheer enthusiasm was as indispensable as the fuel for his car. 

Partway through his improbable journey, Jackson learned that his spur-of-the-moment trip had turned into something of a race. First the Packard company, and then the Oldsmobile company dispatched their own autos from California in the hopes of passing him and gaining the publicity of being first across the nation. Sixty-three and a half days after leaving San Francisco, Jackson arrived triumphantly into New York City and claimed the honor for himself. 

On the centennial of Jackson's achievement, Ken Burns and Florentine Films have now made a documentary film that follows his historic — and hilarious — journey. Horatio's Drive: America's First Road Trip is a one-episode, two-hour film that will be broadcast on PBS stations in October 2003. Burns has teamed up again with writer/producer Dayton Duncan — the same pair who brought the story of another great transcontinental adventure — Lewis and Clark's — to vivid life on PBS. Tom Hanks is the voice of Horatio Nelson Jackson. Keith David (Jazz and Mark Twain) is the narrator. 

Using a treasure trove of photographs Jackson took along the way, and relying on the previously unpublished letters he wrote to his wife from the road (read masterfully by Hanks), the film puts the viewer in the front seat of the Vermont and rides across the continent with Jackson, Crocker and Bud. Burns and Duncan retraced Jackson's entire route to film the same scenery he saw, even mounted cinematographer Allen Moore on the hood of their car to capture the feel of fording streams and climbing rocky mountain paths.

Production Credits

In Loving Memory of
ROBERT K. BURNS, Jr.
DUDLEY DUNCAN
MEG ANNE SCHINDLER

A Film Directed By
KEN BURNS

 Written By
DAYTON DUNCAN

Produced by
DAYTON DUNCAN
&
KEN BURNS

Edited by
ERIK EWERS

Cinematography
ALLEN MOORE
KEN BURNS

"Horatio Cam" Digital Footage
ALLEN MOORE

Associate Producer
SUSANNA STEISEL

Coordinating Producer
PAM TUBRIDY BAUCOM

Field Producer
CRAIG MELLISH

Narrated By
KEITH DAVID

The Voice of Horatio Nelson Jackson
TOM HANKS

Other Voices
ADAM ARKIN
TOM BODETT
PHILIP BOSCO
KEVIN CONWAY
JOHN CULLUM
MURPHY GUYER
AMY MADIGAN
GEORGE PLIMPTON
ELI WALLACH

Assistant Editor
CRAIG MELLISH

Program Advisers
ROGER ALLISON
PAUL BARNES
TIM CLARK
JULIE DUNFEY
DRAKE HOKANSON
PETER KESLING
CURT McCONNELL
LYNN NOVICK
GEOFFREY C. WARD

Chief Financial Officer
BRENDA HEATH

Associate Financial Officer
PATTY LAWLOR

Administrative Assistants
ERIN LESTER
MEG ANNE SCHINDLER
TESS DEDDO
ELLE CARRIERE

Assistant Associate Producer
JENNIFER STANELLE

Sound Editors
SEAN HUFF
ERIK EWERS
CRAIG MELLISH

Music Editor
CRAIG MELLISH

Sound Post-Production
SOUND ONE

Re-Recording Mixer
LEE DICHTER
MARTIN CZEMBOR

Assistant Camera
ROGER HAYDOCK

Animation Stand Photography
THE FRAME SHOP
Edward Joyce and Edward Searles

Still Photography
STEPHEN PETEGORSKY

Voice-Over Recording
Lou Verrico
FULL HOUSE PRODUCTIONS

Other Voice-Over Recording
WAVES, Hollywood, CA
Bobby Garza

Sound Recording
JOHN OSBORNE
STEVEN GOTTLIEB
SEAN HUFF
MORGAN WESSON

Research Assistants
DIANNE KEARNS DUNCAN
MIKE HILL
MELISSA KLEIN
JOSH BROWN
BETH MAGURA
DEBRA KELLER
RANDY MILLER
BETHANY POWELL
BRIAN FERGUSON-AVERY
JANE McLEAN
KIMBERLY HAMLIN

Post-Production Assistant
DAN WHITE

Post-Production Interns
TYLER COTE
MELANIE CUNNINGHAM
TESS DEDDO
IAN DENNY
HEATHER DURFEY
IAN ESCHELMAN
RYAN GIFFORD
KATHERINE HAAS
ANDREW HAGENBUCH
ZACHARY MAYNARD
KRYSTYNA MORT
BETHANY POWELL
BRIAN PUTNAM
LIZ SERU
ANGELA SNOW
TEO ZAGAR

Negative Matching
NOELLE PENRAAT

Title Design
JAMES MADDEN

Maps
MAPQUEST.COM
Creative Mapping Solutions
Mountville, PA

Color
DUART FILM LABS

Spirit Data Cine Film Transfer
THE TAPE HOUSE
John J. Dowdell III

On-Line Editing
THE TAPE HOUSE

Digital Imaging
STEPHEN PETEGORSKY
ANDREW HAGENBUCH
DAN WHITE

Legal Services
ROBERT N. GOLD

Instrumentalist and Studio Arrangements
BOBBY HORTON

Traditional Music
JACQUELINE SCHWAB, piano

Music Recorded at
SOUNDESIGN
Brattleboro, Vermont

Music Engineers
BILLY SHAW
ALAN STOCKWELL


Songs

" Carousel" and "Steppin' Out"
Written by Will Duncan

" Wade's Dixieliner Special Railroad Blues #9"
Written by Tony Ellis
Merrywang, Inc. (ASCAP)
Courtesy of Rounder Records

" Straw Dolls"
Written by Tony Ellis
Merrywang, Inc. (ASCAP)
Courtesy of Rounder Records

" Sugar Cane"
Written by Scott Joplin
Performed by John Arpin
Courtesy of Compendia Music

" Beech Spring," "Finale" and "I Am a Missourian"
Performed by Jay Ungar and Molly Mason

" Livery Stable Blues" and "Tiger Rag"
Performed by the Original Dixieland Jazz Band
Courtesy of RCA/BMG

" Kansas City Kitty" and "River of No Return"
Performed by Fiddlin' Johnny
Courtesy of Makoché Music

" Train on the Island" and "In the Willow Garden"
Performed by Todd Phillips
Courtesy of Gourd Music

" Mountain Medley"
Performed by Neal Hellman
Courtesy of Gourd Music

" Cripple Creek"
Arranged by John McEuen (Colorado Music/ASCAP)
Performed by John McEuen and Earl Scruggs
Courtesy of Vanguard Music

" Carolina Traveler"
Written by Earl Scruggs (BMI)
Performed by Earl Scruggs and John McEuen
Courtesy of Vanguard Music

" Back 'N Forth in Pahrump, Nevada"
Written and performed by John McEuen (Video Wizards Music/BMI)
Courtesy of Vanguard Music

" Yogi's Lament" and "Crackerjack"
Written and performed by John Colby
Courtesy of John Colby Music

" Stars and Stripes Forever"
Performed by John Colby


Locations
The University Club, San Francisco
Urritia Ranch

Archival Material
SPECIAL COLLECTIONS, UNIVERSITY OF VERMONT LIBRARY
American Heritage Ctr., University of Wyoming
Automotive Reference Collection, Free Library of Philadelphia
Bancroft Library University of California, Berkeley
Brown Brothers
Carbon County Museum
Chesterfield Historical Society
Chicago Historical Society
Colorado Historical Society
Community Library, Regional History Dept., Ketchum, Idaho
Culver Pictures
Daniel Wolf, Inc.
Dartmouth College Special Collections
Dayton Duncan
Denver Public Library, Western History Collection
Detroit Public Library, National Automotive History Collection
George Eastman House
Grant Lau
Harney County Historical Society
Hulton/Archive by Getty Images
International Society Daughters of Utah Pioneers
J.E. Stimson Collection, Wyoming State Archives
J. Paul Getty Museum
Jerry Grulkey Collection
John Hammond
Levy Collection, Sheridan Libraries, Johns Hopkins University
Kansas State Historical Society
L. Tom Perry Special Collections BYU Provo, Utah
Lake County District Library
Lakeview County Historical Society
Latter/Day Saints Historical Department
Library of Congress
Marilyn Winton Vogt
Mary Louise Blanchard
Massillon Museum
Milwaukee Public Museum
Minnesota Historical Society
Modoc County Historical Museum
Montana Historical Society
MSCUA, University of Washington Libraries
Museum of the City of New York
Natural History Museum of LA County, Seaver Center
Nebraska State Historical Society, Photograph Collections
Oakland Museum of California
Oldsmobile History Center, Lansing, Michigan
Omaha Public Library
Osher Map Library, University of Southern Maine
Rawlins Daily Times
Rochester Museum and Science Center
Rochester Images
Rochester Public Library, Local History Collection
Sacramento Archives and Museum Collection Center
San Francisco Public Library History Center
San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park
Schminck Memorial Museum
Smithsonian Institution Archives
Soda Springs Public Library
Stanley Museum
State Archives of Michigan
Staten Island Historical Society
Stanford University, Cecil H. Green Library
University Club, San Francisco
University of Idaho Library
University of Kansas Libraries
Vermont Historical Society
Walpole Historical Society
Western Reserve Historical Society
Wisconsin Historical Society
Woodstock County Historical Society
Wyoming State Archives, Dept. of Parks & Cultural Resources

Stock Footage
Historical Films
Imagebank by Getty Images
John E. Allen

Extra Special Thanks
MARY LOUISE BLANCHARD
ANN WALL
DIANNE KEARNS DUNCAN

Special Thanks
The People of Walpole, New Hampshire
Antique Wireless Association
L. A. Burdick Chocolates
Com Three Marketing
Dartmouth College Libraries
Greater Falls Travel
HB Communications, Inc.
Historical Society of Cheshire County
Mason Library, Keene State College
The Park Hyatt, Washington, DC
Smithsonian Institution
Walpole Historical Society
Roger Allison
Anne Ames
Dennis Bolen
Sarah Botstein
Carol Butler
Bernie Golias
Jan Grenci
Jerry Grulkey
John Hammond
Peg Holmes
Larry and Donna Hughes
Becky Jones
Bonnie Jones
Steve Lubar
Jeffrey Marshall
Carolyn McCormick
Eric Merklein
William Mintzer
Lois Merry
Curt McConnell
Allen Ruben
Mike Sturgeon
Roger B. White
Jim Winton
Marilyn Winton Vogt 

James Akerman Patricia Akre Linda Aylward Caitlin Baucom James Barisano Lawrence Benaquist Lynn Brigner Tim Brooks Robert Burgess Louis Ciercielli Pam Clark Steve Cosca Dianne Curry Debra Dearborn Betsy Dickinson David A. Donahue Kathleen Dow Barbara Doyle-Wilch Cecil Elder Susan Ewers Kricket Fellows Lois Ford Gordon Fournier, II Mike Freeman, K.B. Slocum Books John Froats Edward Gable Chris Gentry Sherrain Glenn George Hansen Leigh Harralson Mark Harvey Mark Heideman John Henberg Mellie Humphries Karl S. Kabelac Deke Kastner Joyce Kelley Dawn Duncan Kendall Jean Kobeski Laura Kotsis

Wendy Lauman Larissa Lorian Lori Major Jesse Markow Richard Markow Stuart McDougall Peter Miller Chris Millspaugh Alison Moore Venece Moffitt Eileen Kennedy Morales Paula Murphy Carol Murray Cindy Ossello Roger Petrilli Jack Pratt Carl and Norma Pullen Virginia Putnam Hans Raum Deirdre Routt Anne Salsich Janice Savage David Schaye Robbi Seigel Dixie Server Nancy Sherbert Tom Sherry Bill Slaughter Adrienne Sockwell Fay Stahl Ed Stanchak Eileen Morales Yolanda Theunissen Tole's Variety Dawn Troutman Mike Urritia Phil Vermillion Jay Vestal and Family Chad Wall Don Wickman

National Publicity
DAN KLORES COMMUNICATIONS

Produced in Association with
WETA WASHINGTON, DC

Executive in Charge of Production for WETA
DALTON DELAN

Project Director for WETA
DAVID S. THOMPSON

Associate Producer for WETA
KAREN KENTON

Publicity for WETA
DEWEY BLANTON

President & CEO, WETA
SHARON ROCKEFELLER

A Production of Florentine Films

Executive Producer
KEN BURNS

© 2003, The American Lives II Film Project, Inc.
All Rights Reserved

Funding Provided By
General Motors Corporation
Public Broadcasting Service
Corporation for Public Broadcasting
The Arthur Vining Davis Foundations
Park Foundation