Gayle's Blog ~ Our Travels Across the U.S.: RV/MH Hall of Fame, Elkhart, Indiana

We visited the RV/MH Hall of Fame again since we are lifetime members and wanted to see if there was anything new there. The last time we were there was in 2019 when we came through this area on our way back to Texas. I took a whole lot more pictures on that trip. If you click on the link, it will take you to my blog post in 2019.

Out front is an elk painted in red, white and blue. I never noticed before, but there is a sheet of paper on the inside of the building telling its history.

This community art project, entitled "Elk-Art on Parade," was created through Child and Parent Services (CAPS) of Elkhart as an effort to bring excitement and energy to the Elkhart County Community. The main purpose of the project was to raise funds for child abuse prevention in the area. Local businesses and philanthropists were solicited to sponsor fiberglass elk replicas that were decorated by local artists and placed on display throughout Elkhart County. Each statute is approximately 5 feet tall at the shoulder. The beautiful, life size elk were debuted and auctioned during the summer of 2011.

The elk displayed here is titled: "Made in the USA -- RV Capital of the World" and was created by Sara Cook. It pays tribute to the heritage of the RV Industry in Elkhart County.

The RV Hall of Fame Foundation was formed in 1972 by a group of trade and consumer magazine publishers attending the Mobile Home Manufacturers Association annual meeting in Washington, D.C. The mission was to honor key leaders who had been instrumental in the growth of the industries and to preserve the history through literature and photos. It had no fixed "home" and was moved about from year to year in a file cabinet kept at the home of the chairman of the board of directors.

In 1986 Vern Sailor became chairman and wanted to build a permanent home for the foundation in Elkhart, which had been known for years as the "Trailer Capitol of the World." The first permanent home of the RV/MH Heritage Foundation was dedicated in August of 1990. When they outgrew that location, ground was broken on August 2005 on the ground where the museum is now located. The museum opened here in 2007.

On Cabin Time

Always wanting a log home, owner Kathy Wren of rural Winchester, Indiana, got her wish with her vintage 1967 Fan camper. The interior stayed the same with some repairs and remodeling made. While at the Southern Indiana Vintage Camper Rally in Terre Haute in 2014, Kathy met a fellow vintage camper that had a camper painted with custom murals on all sides. The owner, Larry Webb, restored automobiles and was also an artist, who had painted several vintage trailers for Sisters on the Fly members. Larry took Kathy's favorite colors, flowers, log styles, and other ideas and transformed her camper into a rolling artist's canvas. Because of the camper's unique and beautiful artistry, Kathy could not bear its inevitable decline by continuing to tow and camp in it. Says Kathy, "it is a piece of art and Americana that should be preserved, displayed and enjoyed. Iam thrilled that On Cabin Time's final home will be in the RV/MH Hall of Fame and Museum."

1913 "Earl" Travel Trailer & Model T Ford

The oldest travel trailer in the world. Custom made for Cal Tech professor by Los Angeles carriage maker. This was the last year for choice of colors on the Model T. Following this year, they were produced only in black. The blue and black paint scheme is authentic.

The trailer has a dining table that seats four, then converts into a double bed. The khaki colored upholstery is in the original style. Storage is provided under both benches and in two cabinets on either side of the rear doors.

1916 Telescoping Apartment

These "telescoping apartments" were built on the west coast as aftermarket camping accessories for early trucks. To travel, both side cabinets slide in and the rear section then "telescopes" into the main compartment and is secure for travel. Warm water for the shower is produced by radiator heat from the engine. (Made in San Francisco, sold for $100.)

1928 Pierce Arrow Fleet Housecar

One of only three housecars built by the Pierce Arrow Company of Buffalo, New York, before the crash of 1929 ended their manufacture of luxury housecars. It is an example of the high end housecars of the 1920s. This custom "Privateer" body was provided by a company in San Diego.

1931 Mae West Housecar

This 1931 Chevrolet based custom made housecar was one of the enticements offered by Paramount Studios to get Mae West to leave the Vaudeville circuit and begin to make movies for them. It is designed as a chauffer driven lounge and not as a "camper" unit. It features a small hot plate stove, an icebox, and a small table to enjoy lunch or a spot of tea. It was used for several years to transport Ms. West from her home or hotel to the shooting locations. The story indicates she had a rocking chair on the back porch where she could enjoy the breeze when appropriate.

1931 Model AA Ford Housecar

This housecar is believed to have been built by an unknown custom carriage maker and woodworking artist. The floors are yellow pine and the cabinetry and interior is oak and yellow poplar. The seats for driver and passenger were added by the restorers; it originally had flat benches without backs to sit on. The donor discovered it in a barn in Athens, Alabama in 1999 and was able to acquire it. He and a friend, a master woodworker, restored it and gave it the "Tennessee Traveler" name. All hardware and much of the wood is original. The engine ran fine the day it was purchased even after having been stored for over 40 years.

Jim sitting with "Poker Alice"

1935 Bowlus "Road Chief"

These trailers, designed by world famous sailplane builder Hawley Bowlus, were the predecessor of the more recognized Airstream clipper style. The segmented aluminum roof design simulates the look of silk fabric stretched over a wooden frame on the sailplanes (gliders). When Airstream took over the design in 1936, they removed the boat-tail feature and moved the entry from the front to the side.

1939 Lindbergh Travel Trailer

This trailer is the 1939 Lindbergh Travel Trailer, designed in San Carlos, California, by an engineer of the Sir Francis Drake Hotel. This trailer was custom-built for Lindbergh, hence its name. Skinned in aluminum to reduce weight and enhance appearance, the trailer has two axles, one at each end. The design gave the trailer a great deal of stability when parked for overnight stops and did not require that the tongue be supported on jacks when unhitched from the two vehicle.

1984 Blue Bird Wanderlodge

Owned by Marc and Tricia Leach, season 10 of their popular YouTube RV Channel "Keep Your Daydream" was all about motorized RVing, and this Wanderlodge was the perfect coach for them.

1974 GMC Motorhome

This is an example of the very advanced motorhomes produced from 1973 to 1978 by General Motors Corporation. It features front wheel drive using the system that was used on the Cadillac Eldorado and Oldsmobile Toronado autos with a 455 cubic inch gasoline engine. It has an airbag suspension system providing an extremely advanced ride and handling for its day.

1988 Star Streak II

This is the second of two custom, all aluminum motorhomes built by Paul Jones of Cape Coral, Florida. Built by using a 1976 Cadillac Eldorado Chassis and a 1976 Olds Toronado 455 cu. engine. It was designed and built specifically to fit in a standard residential garage door.

1986 Executive Diplomat Edition

This all original RV has over 100,000 odometer miles. It has traveled all over the United States to all of the National Parks west of the Mississippi. It was used for high school tailgate parties and family camping trips pulling the ski boat to Lake Havasu, Arizona and dune buggy trailers to California. It was owned by the Hagan family from 1986 to May 2021, and has always been stored under cover.

The story of Winnebago Industries begins with the recruiting of Modernistic Industries to a small town in rural America. In the late 1950s, seeking to spur economic development, a group of local civic leaders persuaded California-based Modernistic to open a travel trailer plant in Forest City, Iowa. The newly formed Modernistic Industries of Iowa opened its doors, and the first 15-foot "Aljo" rolled off the assembly line in 1958. It retailed for $895.

The Aljo soon received numerous upgrades and innovations, including foam seat cushions. In 1961, the Forest City RV manufacturer renamed itself Winnebago Industries, after the free-flowing river that runs through the town. Soon, the iconic Flying W began to grace the side of the company's travel trailers. An industry giant was born.

We are members of the Tin Can Tourists, the oldest RV club in the United States. Formed in 1919, we attended its 100th anniversary in 2019 in Brooksville, Florida. The link takes you to my blog on the 2019 Rally where you can read about the history of the organization and look at the multitude of vintage trailers that members bring to the rally.

Tin Heintz, a member of the Tin Can Tourists, wrote this article on the history of trailers.

With all the people that ask about Trailer identification, many have noticed there are a lot that are identified as ‘Home-Made’ Trailers. You have to remember that even the best looking and well-built trailers from the 1920’s-1950’s were often ‘Home-Made’ or at least kit trailers with no official ‘brand name’. While commercially built trailers had to be completely built in a factory in less than a day. Most companies building as many as 6-15+ completed trailer per day.

The average skilled handy man building his own trailer in the back yard could spend weeks or even months on his custom build! So yes, many of the home-made trailers of past were actually built much better and stylish than the factory-built trailers. Most of these home-made trailers were built by craftsman in the airplane, engineering, bridge construction, or other line of trade work so they knew what they were doing! However, even with the so called ‘kit’ or boxed trailers you would find a lot of customizing by the owner/builder/buyer. Also take in account that with literally 1000+ official trailer brands in the 1930’s alone, the statistics back then was that 66% of all trailers on the road during that time were Home-Made trailers and it was estimated in 1936 that the number of trailers on the roads were already 250,000+!

Here we have detailed photos of such a ‘boxed’ trailer that one could order from Pre-Fab Inc out of Los Angeles CA and this particular model (their largest with the smaller model more of a tear drop) costing just $395.00 plus tax/shipping in 1949. (Actually Tires and Tubes not included but the rims were)

The "Flatavan" (Super Caravan) Chassis and Trailer combination, built for His Royal Highness, the Maharajah Scindia of Gwalior, providing accommodations for selected favorites of his haram when he tours in India.