Transportation

Americans have always been a people on the move—on rails, roads, and waterways (for travel through the air, visit the National Air and Space Museum). In the transportation collections, railroad objects range from tools, tracks, and many train models to the massive 1401, a 280-ton locomotive built in 1926. Road vehicles include coaches, buggies, wagons, trucks, motorcycles, bicycles, and automobiles—from the days before the Model T to modern race cars. The accessories of travel are part of the collections, too, from streetlights, gas pumps, and traffic signals to goggles and overcoats.

In the maritime collections, more than 7,000 design plans and scores of ship models show the evolution of sailing ships and other vessels. Other items range from scrimshaw, photographs, and marine paintings to life jackets from the Titanic.

Before motels were common, homeowners earned extra income by renting rooms by the night to motorists who were passing through town. Tourist homes offered a more comfortable alternative to autocamps and roadside cabins.
Description
Before motels were common, homeowners earned extra income by renting rooms by the night to motorists who were passing through town. Tourist homes offered a more comfortable alternative to autocamps and roadside cabins. They had a homelike atmosphere and domestic comforts that equaled travelers’ home furnishings. Some even served meals. In the evening, hosts and guests often engaged in conversation in the living room. The most successful tourist homes grew into roadside inns, but most stopped serving travelers when chain motels spread across the United States. This hand-painted wooden sign welcomed motorists at a tourist home in Mountain Lakes, New Jersey, a rural community 25 miles from New York City.
Location
Currently not on view
ID Number
1984.0936.01
accession number
1984.0936
catalog number
1984.0936.01
84.0936.01
The Hamons family business exemplifies the culture of roadside communities that sprang up as long-distance automobile travel increased. Carl and Lucille Hamons lived on Carl's mother's farm until the late 1930s, when they moved to the town of Hydro, Oklahoma.
Description
The Hamons family business exemplifies the culture of roadside communities that sprang up as long-distance automobile travel increased. Carl and Lucille Hamons lived on Carl's mother's farm until the late 1930s, when they moved to the town of Hydro, Oklahoma. In 1941 they used Carl's inheritance to purchase a gasoline station with seven tourist cabins at Provine, a sparsely settled crossroads on Route 66 one mile southwest of Hydro. Neighboring businesses included a Texaco station and the Hill Top Café. Carl drove a truck for a living, and Lucille operated the gas station and cabins. They lived in the second story of the gas station; Lucille prepared breakfast and sandwiches for travelers on a hotplate in the first story. Lucille lived in the gas station until her death in 2000.
Social interaction in communities like Provine differed greatly from traditional villages. Strangers on the move were brought together briefly in a remote, ephemeral setting. This was a culture of mobility; motor travel was the only reason for Provine's existence. In her autobiography, Lucille describes the isolation of her gas station home, her frequent interaction with travelers on Route 66, and her travel-oriented duties and services in addition to running the gas station and cabins. She helped travelers in financial straits by accepting objects for payment or by purchasing their cars and putting the travelers on a bus. During World War II, when rubber and metal were in short supply, she sold tires and parts stripped from the used cars that she had bought.
Lucille witnessed the second wave of migration on Route 66 in the early 1940s, when midwesterners sought defense jobs in California, as well as postwar vacation trips and household moves. In recent years, as interest in the historical and cultural aspects of Route 66 has grown, Mrs. Hamons has been celebrated as the "Mother of the Mother Road." Her gas station was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1997. Cheryl Hamons Nowka, who was born in the second story of the gas station, created a Lucille Hamons web site in the mid-1990s.
date made
1941
maker
Gillingham Sign Company, Weatherford, Oklahoma
ID Number
2001.0327.01
accession number
2001.0327
In the early years of motoring, the Burma-Vita Company found a novel way to advertise its brushless shaving cream.
Description
In the early years of motoring, the Burma-Vita Company found a novel way to advertise its brushless shaving cream. Burma-Shave advertising signs, with their humorous, serial jingles, were spaced far apart on the roadside and made sense only to someone traveling at 35 miles per hour. From the 1920s to the 1960s, motorists had fun piecing the rhymes together, one phrase at a time, and reaching the wry, witty punch line. They memorized favorite verses and looked forward to the entertainment value of the signs, especially during long trips. Burma-Shave signs were the equivalent of the prize in a Cracker Jack box or the saying in a fortune cookie. They became a classic American form of visual communication in a league with comic strips and greeting cards, and like those whimsical media, the signs became part of twentieth century popular culture. Burma-Shave signs became a national favorite because they humanized highway travel and gave motorists a new way to consume the roadside. They touched many facets of American life; farmers repaired them, radio comedians satirized them, and college students pilfered them. Verses supported the war effort during World War II and anti-inflation efforts after the war. At the height of the program, there were 7,000 sets of signs in 45 states. But by the 1950s, television advertising made rival products more popular than Burma-Shave, and televised ads were more cost-effective than sending a team of sign installers out on the road. Increased highway speeds and limited-access highways also contributed to the decline of the Burma-Shave phenomenon. The sign program ended in 1963.
Location
Currently not on view
user
Bryant, Fred K.
ID Number
1986.0661.04
accession number
1986.0661
catalog number
1986.0661.04
86.0661.04
Some states and local governments erect roadside memorial signs for victims of car accidents caused by intoxicated drivers. On February 16, 2003, Isaiah Carrillo, 14, and his brother Alfredo, 12, were riding in a car driven by Jonathan Garcia, 18, in Carlsbad, New Mexico.
Description
Some states and local governments erect roadside memorial signs for victims of car accidents caused by intoxicated drivers. On February 16, 2003, Isaiah Carrillo, 14, and his brother Alfredo, 12, were riding in a car driven by Jonathan Garcia, 18, in Carlsbad, New Mexico. Garcia had consumed alcohol, marijuana, and cocaine earlier in the day and was impaired. He sped through a stop sign, then skidded, veered, and struck a tree. The Carrillo brothers were not wearing seat belts; they were thrown forward and died of head injuries. A memorial sign, erected by the Eddy County DWI Program at a different location in Carlsbad, symbolizes the trauma that affects DWI (driving while intoxicated) victims and their families. Such signs serve as grim reminders in the hope that public awareness will help prevent DWI tragedies.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
2003
ID Number
2012.0111.01
accession number
2012.0111
catalog number
2012.0111.01a
2012.0111.01b
Building Route 66 in the mid-1920s stirred public excitement. Motorists could anticipate an all-weather route from Chicago to Los Angeles and reduced dependence on passenger trains. One symbol of infatuation with the new highway is the Phillips 66 gasoline trade name.
Description
Building Route 66 in the mid-1920s stirred public excitement. Motorists could anticipate an all-weather route from Chicago to Los Angeles and reduced dependence on passenger trains. One symbol of infatuation with the new highway is the Phillips 66 gasoline trade name. Introduced in 1927, the name was inspired by a test drive at 66 miles per hour on a stretch of Route 66 in Oklahoma. The Phillips 66 sign, unveiled in 1930, combined the trade name with the shape of a US highway route marker. The sign has continued in use with minor revisions. This example was made in 1956.
date made
1956
ID Number
1996.0387.01
accession number
1996.0387
catalog number
1996.0387.01
As Hurricane Katrina approached in August 2005, over 80 percent of the residents of New Orleans fled the city during the mandatory evacuation. Thousands of residents, however, could not or would not leave.Currently not on view
Description
As Hurricane Katrina approached in August 2005, over 80 percent of the residents of New Orleans fled the city during the mandatory evacuation. Thousands of residents, however, could not or would not leave.
Location
Currently not on view
Associated Date
2005
fabricator
New Orleans Department of Public Works
ID Number
2005.0284.01
accession number
2005.0284
catalog number
2005.0284.01
Currently on loan
Location
Currently on loan
date made
ca 1970
maker
STP Corporation
ID Number
2017.0091.48
catalog number
2017.0091.48
accession number
2017.0091
By the 1920s, commercial signs and billboards turned the roadside into an advertising medium. Allan Odell, sales manager of the family-owned Burma-Vita Company, created serial roadside rhymes in 1926 to advertise the company’s brushless shaving cream.
Description
By the 1920s, commercial signs and billboards turned the roadside into an advertising medium. Allan Odell, sales manager of the family-owned Burma-Vita Company, created serial roadside rhymes in 1926 to advertise the company’s brushless shaving cream. He was inspired by a string of signs leading to a service station in Illinois, each sign promoting a product or service available at the station. The earliest Burma-Shave signs boosted sales significantly; the sign program spread so rapidly that the company began a nationwide contest, resulting in dozens of selections annually. Some verses merely extolled the Burma-Shave product, while others made light of facial hair, shaving, and intimacy with the opposite sex. Gradually the company introduced “public service announcements” in the form of humorous reminders to drive safely or suffer the consequences. This rhyme is a commentary on the serious problem of drinking and driving. Verses of this type cautioned motorists to be aware of the risks of expanded personal mobility and drive safely and responsibly.
date made
1959
maker
Burma-Vita Company
ID Number
2005.0121.01
catalog number
2005.0121.01
accession number
2005.0121
In the early years of motoring, the Burma-Vita Company found a novel way to advertise its brushless shaving cream.
Description
In the early years of motoring, the Burma-Vita Company found a novel way to advertise its brushless shaving cream. Burma-Shave advertising signs, with their humorous, serial jingles, were spaced far apart on the roadside and made sense only to someone traveling at 35 miles per hour. From the 1920s to the 1960s, motorists had fun piecing the rhymes together, one phrase at a time, and reaching the wry, witty punch line. They memorized favorite verses and looked forward to the entertainment value of the signs, especially during long trips. Burma-Shave signs were the equivalent of the prize in a Cracker Jack box or the saying in a fortune cookie. They became a classic American form of visual communication in a league with comic strips and greeting cards, and like those whimsical media, the signs became part of twentieth century popular culture. Burma-Shave signs became a national favorite because they humanized highway travel and gave motorists a new way to consume the roadside. They touched many facets of American life; farmers repaired them, radio comedians satirized them, and college students pilfered them. Verses supported the war effort during World War II and anti-inflation efforts after the war. At the height of the program, there were 7,000 sets of signs in 45 states. But by the 1950s, television advertising made rival products more popular than Burma-Shave, and televised ads were more cost-effective than sending a team of sign installers out on the road. Increased highway speeds and limited-access highways also contributed to the decline of the Burma-Shave phenomenon. The sign program ended in 1963.
Location
Currently not on view
user
Bryant, Fred K.
ID Number
1986.0661.05
accession number
1986.0661
catalog number
1986.0661.05
86.0661.05
In late 1973 and 1974, Americans in many parts of the nation experienced severe gasoline shortages after oil-producing nations in the Middle East imposed an embargo on oil shipments to the United States. The shortage severely impacted the mid-Atlantic region.
Description
In late 1973 and 1974, Americans in many parts of the nation experienced severe gasoline shortages after oil-producing nations in the Middle East imposed an embargo on oil shipments to the United States. The shortage severely impacted the mid-Atlantic region. Long lines formed at gasoline stations, motorists became anxious, and tempers flared. One New Jersey resident had to call a police officer to inform motorists that he had a right to break into a line so that he could enter his driveway. When the National Museum of American History began collecting objects representing the shortage, Glenn Bourke, Jr., owner of Closter Exxon in Closter, New Jersey, climbed into the gas station attic and brought down several signs issued by Exxon Corporation to inform motorists, control the flow of cars, and ration gasoline according to commercial availability during times of limited supply. Among them was this sign, which Bourke, then a new employee working for his father, placed on the car designated as the last one in line that could be served that day. Other Exxon-issued signs indicated limits on the number of gallons of gasoline that each motorist could purchase, or a dollar limit on each purchase. The shortage was over by late 1974, and Bourke kept the signs as relics.
Location
Currently not on view
ID Number
2013.0034.01
accession number
2013.0034
catalog number
2013.0034.01
In the early years of motoring, the Burma-Vita Company found a novel way to advertise its brushless shaving cream.
Description
In the early years of motoring, the Burma-Vita Company found a novel way to advertise its brushless shaving cream. Burma-Shave advertising signs, with their humorous, serial jingles, were spaced far apart on the roadside and made sense only to someone traveling at 35 miles per hour. From the 1920s to the 1960s, motorists had fun piecing the rhymes together, one phrase at a time, and reaching the wry, witty punch line. They memorized favorite verses and looked forward to the entertainment value of the signs, especially during long trips. Burma-Shave signs were the equivalent of the prize in a Cracker Jack box or the saying in a fortune cookie. They became a classic American form of visual communication in a league with comic strips and greeting cards, and like those whimsical media, the signs became part of twentieth century popular culture. Burma-Shave signs became a national favorite because they humanized highway travel and gave motorists a new way to consume the roadside. They touched many facets of American life; farmers repaired them, radio comedians satirized them, and college students pilfered them. Verses supported the war effort during World War II and anti-inflation efforts after the war. At the height of the program, there were 7,000 sets of signs in 45 states. But by the 1950s, television advertising made rival products more popular than Burma-Shave, and televised ads were more cost-effective than sending a team of sign installers out on the road. Increased highway speeds and limited-access highways also contributed to the decline of the Burma-Shave phenomenon. The sign program ended in 1963.
Location
Currently not on view
user
Bryant, Fred K.
ID Number
1986.0661.06
accession number
1986.0661
catalog number
1986.0661.06
86.0661.06
Mobiloil was registered by the Standard Oil Company of New York (Socony) at the U. S. patent office as a trademark in 1920. The company became the Mobil Oil Corporation in 1966.
Description
Mobiloil was registered by the Standard Oil Company of New York (Socony) at the U. S. patent office as a trademark in 1920. The company became the Mobil Oil Corporation in 1966. Although the Mobil oil brand became marketed under the now-familiar Pegasus, this sign's 'gargoyle' was also one of the ways that the company branded their product and tried to get people to buy their oil.
date made
ca 1930
ID Number
TR.335596
catalog number
335596
accession number
1977.0640
In the early years of motoring, the Burma-Vita Company found a novel way to advertise its brushless shaving cream.
Description
In the early years of motoring, the Burma-Vita Company found a novel way to advertise its brushless shaving cream. Burma-Shave advertising signs, with their humorous, serial jingles, were spaced far apart on the roadside and made sense only to someone traveling at 35 miles per hour. From the 1920s to the 1960s, motorists had fun piecing the rhymes together, one phrase at a time, and reaching the wry, witty punch line. They memorized favorite verses and looked forward to the entertainment value of the signs, especially during long trips. Burma-Shave signs were the equivalent of the prize in a Cracker Jack box or the saying in a fortune cookie. They became a classic American form of visual communication in a league with comic strips and greeting cards, and like those whimsical media, the signs became part of twentieth century popular culture. Burma-Shave signs became a national favorite because they humanized highway travel and gave motorists a new way to consume the roadside. They touched many facets of American life; farmers repaired them, radio comedians satirized them, and college students pilfered them. Verses supported the war effort during World War II and anti-inflation efforts after the war. At the height of the program, there were 7,000 sets of signs in 45 states. But by the 1950s, television advertising made rival products more popular than Burma-Shave, and televised ads were more cost-effective than sending a team of sign installers out on the road. Increased highway speeds and limited-access highways also contributed to the decline of the Burma-Shave phenomenon. The sign program ended in 1963.
Location
Currently not on view
user
Bryant, Fred K.
ID Number
1986.0661.03
accession number
1986.0661
catalog number
1986.0661.03
86.0661.03
In the early years of motoring, the Burma-Vita Company found a novel way to advertise its brushless shaving cream.
Description
In the early years of motoring, the Burma-Vita Company found a novel way to advertise its brushless shaving cream. Burma-Shave advertising signs, with their humorous, serial jingles, were spaced far apart on the roadside and made sense only to someone traveling at 35 miles per hour. From the 1920s to the 1960s, motorists had fun piecing the rhymes together, one phrase at a time, and reaching the wry, witty punch line. They memorized favorite verses and looked forward to the entertainment value of the signs, especially during long trips. Burma-Shave signs were the equivalent of the prize in a Cracker Jack box or the saying in a fortune cookie. They became a classic American form of visual communication in a league with comic strips and greeting cards, and like those whimsical media, the signs became part of twentieth century popular culture. Burma-Shave signs became a national favorite because they humanized highway travel and gave motorists a new way to consume the roadside. They touched many facets of American life; farmers repaired them, radio comedians satirized them, and college students pilfered them. Verses supported the war effort during World War II and anti-inflation efforts after the war. At the height of the program, there were 7,000 sets of signs in 45 states. But by the 1950s, television advertising made rival products more popular than Burma-Shave, and televised ads were more cost-effective than sending a team of sign installers out on the road. Increased highway speeds and limited-access highways also contributed to the decline of the Burma-Shave phenomenon. The sign program ended in 1963.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1960
user
Bryant, Fred K.
ID Number
1986.0661.01
accession number
1986.0661
catalog number
1986.0661.01
86.0661.01
In the early years of motoring, the Burma-Vita Company found a novel way to advertise its brushless shaving cream.
Description
In the early years of motoring, the Burma-Vita Company found a novel way to advertise its brushless shaving cream. Burma-Shave advertising signs, with their humorous, serial jingles, were spaced far apart on the roadside and made sense only to someone traveling at 35 miles per hour. From the 1920s to the 1960s, motorists had fun piecing the rhymes together, one phrase at a time, and reaching the wry, witty punch line. They memorized favorite verses and looked forward to the entertainment value of the signs, especially during long trips. Burma-Shave signs were the equivalent of the prize in a Cracker Jack box or the saying in a fortune cookie. They became a classic American form of visual communication in a league with comic strips and greeting cards, and like those whimsical media, the signs became part of twentieth century popular culture. Burma-Shave signs became a national favorite because they humanized highway travel and gave motorists a new way to consume the roadside. They touched many facets of American life; farmers repaired them, radio comedians satirized them, and college students pilfered them. Verses supported the war effort during World War II and anti-inflation efforts after the war. At the height of the program, there were 7,000 sets of signs in 45 states. But by the 1950s, television advertising made rival products more popular than Burma-Shave, and televised ads were more cost-effective than sending a team of sign installers out on the road. Increased highway speeds and limited-access highways also contributed to the decline of the Burma-Shave phenomenon. The sign program ended in 1963.
Location
Currently not on view
user
Bryant, Fred K.
ID Number
1986.0661.02
accession number
1986.0661
catalog number
1986.0661.02
86.0661.02
In October 1973, the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries suspended delivery of crude oil to the United States in retaliation for American military support of Israel during the Yom Kippur War.
Description
In October 1973, the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries suspended delivery of crude oil to the United States in retaliation for American military support of Israel during the Yom Kippur War. Almost overnight, gasoline supplies plummeted below adequate levels, and Americans learned first-hand the uncertainties and disruptions that could occur in a transportation system dependent on imported oil. On the hard hit east coast, long lines of cars formed at gasoline stations as motorists vied for limited quantities. Larry Jackson, a field supervisor for Amerada Hess, served as company liaison for about 18 gasoline stations in northern New Jersey. As car lines lengthened, he distributed company-issued, painted Masonite signs reading “Sorry! LAST CAR IN THIS LINE” to dealers in his territory. He issued one or two signs to each dealer. A sign was placed on the rear bumper of the last car in line to warn other motorists not to get in line. Lines eventually stretched as long as two to six miles before the oil embargo ended in 1974. Jackson kept a small supply of extra signs for future distribution and donated one to the National Museum of American History in 2012.
date made
1973
ID Number
2012.0263.01
accession number
2012.0263
catalog number
2012.0263.01
Sign used at checkpoints at Grand Forks International Airport in North Dakota in 2002 that advises passengers that fireworks are prohibited on the commercial flights and will be confiscated by TSA screeners. It reads "Warning! Fireworks Forbidden."Currently not on view
Description
Sign used at checkpoints at Grand Forks International Airport in North Dakota in 2002 that advises passengers that fireworks are prohibited on the commercial flights and will be confiscated by TSA screeners. It reads "Warning! Fireworks Forbidden."
Location
Currently not on view
user
Transportation Security Administration
ID Number
2011.0161.06
catalog number
2011.0161.06
accession number
2011.0161

Our collection database is a work in progress. We may update this record based on further research and review. Learn more about our approach to sharing our collection online.

If you would like to know how you can use content on this page, see the Smithsonian's Terms of Use. If you need to request an image for publication or other use, please visit Rights and Reproductions.