As early as 1810 in Europe, covered wagons began to expand into something more than just carrying people and goods. People began to use covered wagons to live in. It was only a matter of time after the automobile was invented that recreational vehicles and motor homes would begin to be built. In 1909, a picture of a family beside their motor home was featured in an edition of a magazine called Motor Magazine. In the United States, modern RV began to appear in the late 1920s and 1930s.
Ford produced a Housecar in the 1930s, one of which still is in good condition today. It was built on a 1937 Ford pickup frame. The frame was made out of wood with metal wrapped around it. This was an amazing find in a garage in Northern Minnesota in 2001!
Today’s RVs are nothing like the spectacular frames and designs from the early 1900s, but are more spacious for camping and traveling. I always like to look back at the beginnings to see how far we have come.