Transportation

1955 Ford Country Squire

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.

Hank Williams, Jr.

Henry Horenstein photographed Hank Williams Jr., the son of legendary singer Hank Williams, leaving his tour bus. Williams Jr. (b. 1949) spent his early career singing his father's songs in his own style.
Description
Henry Horenstein photographed Hank Williams Jr., the son of legendary singer Hank Williams, leaving his tour bus. Williams Jr. (b. 1949) spent his early career singing his father's songs in his own style. After a 1974 suicide attempt and a mountain climbing accident in 1975, he revamped his own image, modeling it after rowdy southern rockers. Later he was considered part of the Outlaw Country Movement.
Location
Currently not on view
negative
1973
print
2003
maker
Horenstein, Henry
ID Number
2003.0169.074
accession number
2003.0169
catalog number
2003.0169.074

Inter-State Radiator Emblem

This radiator emblem belonged to an Inter-State automobile that was manufactured by the Inter-State Automobile Company of Muncie, Indiana from 1909 until 1913.
Description
This radiator emblem belonged to an Inter-State automobile that was manufactured by the Inter-State Automobile Company of Muncie, Indiana from 1909 until 1913. Frank Ball bought the company from Thomas Hart in 1914, and produced cars as the Inter-State Motor Company until 1919, with a break during the First World War. This radiator emblem reads “MUNCIE/INTER-STATE/INDIANA.”
Radiator emblems are small, colorful metal plates bearing an automobile manufacturer's name or logo that attached to the radiators grilles of early automobiles. Varying in shape and size, the emblems served as a small branding device, sometimes indicating the type of engine, place of manufacturing, or using an iconic image or catchy slogan to advertise their cars make and model. This emblem is part of the collection that was donated by Hubert G. Larson in 1964.
Location
Currently not on view
ID Number
TR.325528.128
accession number
260303
catalog number
325528.128

Creamer

Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
Date made
ca 1923
date used
1936 to 1960s
maker
Beetleware Corporation
ID Number
1984.0331.11
accession number
1984.0331
catalog number
1984.0331.11
patent number
1458543

Crawford Automobile Company Radiator Emblem

This radiator emblem belonged to a Crawford automobile that was manufactured by the Crawford Automobile Company of Hagerstown, Maryland between 1904 and 1923. M. P.
Description
This radiator emblem belonged to a Crawford automobile that was manufactured by the Crawford Automobile Company of Hagerstown, Maryland between 1904 and 1923. M. P. Möller, a pipe organ builder, founded the company, and produced a limited number of vehicles, no more than 275 cars made in a given year. The emblem has the Maryland flag set inside a shield, with a red scroll across the center that reads “CRAWFORD” in silver text. The outer rim of the emblem is blue, with the text “CRAWFORD AUTOMOBILE CO./CRAWFORD/HAGERSTOWN. MD. U.S.A” in silver.
Radiator emblems are small, colorful metal plates bearing an automobile manufacturer's name or logo that attached to the radiators grilles of early automobiles. Varying in shape and size, the emblems served as a small branding device, sometimes indicating the type of engine, place of manufacturing, or using an iconic image or catchy slogan to advertise their cars make and model. This emblem is part of the collection that was donated by Hubert G. Larson in 1964.
Location
Currently not on view
ID Number
TR.325528.064
accession number
260303
catalog number
325528.064

medal

Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
Date made
1828
ID Number
NU.66.28802
catalog number
66.28802
accession number
270424

Worthington Automobile Company Radiator Emblem

This radiator emblem belonged to a Meteor automobile that was manufactured by the Worthington Automobile Company of New York, New York in 1905 and 1905. Many companies manufactured Meteor brand vehicles during the early 20th century.
Description
This radiator emblem belonged to a Meteor automobile that was manufactured by the Worthington Automobile Company of New York, New York in 1905 and 1905. Many companies manufactured Meteor brand vehicles during the early 20th century. Worthington’s Meteor had a four-cylinder engine and sold for $2500 to $2950 depending on the body model. William Colt took over the company in 1905 and moved it to Cleveland to be reorganized as the Cleveland Motor Car Company. This emblem reads “"METEOR" CAR NO/WORTHINGTON/AUTOMOBILE COMPANY/NEW YORK.”
Radiator emblems are small, colorful metal plates bearing an automobile manufacturer's name or logo that attached to the radiators grilles of early automobiles. Varying in shape and size, the emblems served as a small branding device, sometimes indicating the type of engine, place of manufacturing, or using an iconic image or catchy slogan to advertise their cars make and model. This emblem is part of the collection that was donated by Hubert G. Larson in 1964.
Location
Currently not on view
ID Number
TR.325528.159
accession number
260303
catalog number
325528.159

Harley-Davidson Motorcycle 9-B, 1913

This is a model 9-B Harley-Davidson motorcycle manufactured in 1913. This motorcycle originally sold for $235.00 at the factory in Milwaukee, but was purchased secondhand in 1918 by the donor, who used it for several years.
Description
This is a model 9-B Harley-Davidson motorcycle manufactured in 1913. This motorcycle originally sold for $235.00 at the factory in Milwaukee, but was purchased secondhand in 1918 by the donor, who used it for several years. In 1947 the Harley- Davidson Motor Company restored it.
The one-cylinder, four-cycle, air-cooled "5-35" (5 horsepower; 35 cubic inches displacement) engine bears serial number 4336-D. The drive is furnished by a double-reduction roller chain (covered by metal guards) that runs from a sprocket on the engine crankshaft to a sprocket at the hub of the rear wheel. The clutch, which is on the rear-wheel hub, is operated by means of a lever on the left side of the machine, and is engaged by moving the lever forward. The right side has a pedal-and-chain drive. With the rear wheel raised free by the stand and with the clutch engaged, the pedals are used to crank the motor. The brake is engaged by a slight backward pressure on the pedals. The pedals are not driven by the forward motion of the machine, but can be used for propulsion in an emergency, in which case the clutch is disengaged.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1913
restored
Firestone Tire and Rubber Co.
maker
Harley-Davidson
ID Number
TR.313147
catalog number
313147
accession number
176678

Rack, STP gasoline treatment, signed by Andy Granatelli

Currently on loan
Location
Currently on loan
date made
ca 1970
maker
STP Corporation
ID Number
2017.0091.47
catalog number
2017.0091.47
accession number
2017.0091

Room Key, Howard Johnson's Motor Lodge

Howard Johnson’s was formed in 1925 by Howard Deering Johnson. He purchased a small pharmacy with a soda fountain and quickly discovered the soda fountain section of the store was the biggest draw. He expanded the selection and improved the quality of products to much success.
Description
Howard Johnson’s was formed in 1925 by Howard Deering Johnson. He purchased a small pharmacy with a soda fountain and quickly discovered the soda fountain section of the store was the biggest draw. He expanded the selection and improved the quality of products to much success. As lines grew longer for those waiting to get inside, he opened up small stands along the street and on the beach. The popularity of his establishment continued to grow and he decided to turn his store into a full-fledged restaurant.
Howard D. Johnson dreamed of expanding along the highways of the United States, believing the future of the U.S. would be shaped by the automobile. When the stock market crashed in 1929, he realized that dream was going to be much more difficult to achieve. Wanting to expand but without the capital to do so, Johnson drafted one of the first franchising agreements and the first franchised Howard Johnson restaurant was opened in 1932. By the end of the 1930s, more than 100 Howard Johnson’s lined the east coast. They were instantly recognizable to travelers with their signature orange roof, indicating this would be a trusted and familiar place to dine.
Capitalizing even more on the traveler’s business, Howard Johnson’s opened its first motor lodge in 1954. By the 1960s, they had expanded nationwide providing the road weary traveler with a place to eat and sleep for the night. In 1980, Howard B. Johnson (Howard D. Johnson’s son) sold the chain to Imperial Group. It was eventually bought by Mariott a few years later who split off the lodging from the restaurant chain. Today (2015), the lodging arm of Howard Johnson’s is operated by the Wyndham Worldwide. There are only two of the original restaurant locations of Howard Johnson’s still open, one in New York and one in Maine.
ID Number
2015.3087.06
catalog number
2015.3087.06
nonaccession number
2015.3087

Willys Overland Radiator Emblem

This radiator emblem belonged to a Willys Overland automobile produced by the Willys Corporation of Toledo, Ohio between 1912 and 1931. John North Willys got his start in 1907 when he became a partner in the Overland Automotive Division of the Standard Wheel Company.
Description
This radiator emblem belonged to a Willys Overland automobile produced by the Willys Corporation of Toledo, Ohio between 1912 and 1931. John North Willys got his start in 1907 when he became a partner in the Overland Automotive Division of the Standard Wheel Company. The Willys company tree is very complicated, emblematic of the many merges and separations that occurred among automobile companies during the early 1900s, but in general the Willys Corporation was founded by John North Willys to produce Willys, Willys Overland, and Willys Knight vehicles. In 1912 Overland purchased the Russell Motors plant in Toronto, and this car was likely produced at that plant. The emblem has a red background and a blue rim, with a white banner in the center that reads “Overland” in blue. Around the rim the emblem reads “Willys Overland Limited/Trade Mark/Toronto Canada.”
Radiator emblems are small, colorful metal plates bearing an automobile manufacturer's name or logo that attached to the radiators grilles of early automobiles. Varying in shape and size, the emblems served as a small branding device, sometimes indicating the type of engine, place of manufacturing, or using an iconic image or catchy slogan to advertise their cars make and model. This emblem is part of the collection that was donated by Hubert G. Larson in 1964.
Location
Currently not on view
ID Number
TR.325528.182
accession number
260303
catalog number
325528.182

Stanley Runabout, 1910

This is a Stanley Model 60 runabout steam-powered automobile made in 1910. Several companies, notably White, Stanley, and Locomobile (a Stanley spinoff), built steam-powered automobiles in the late1890s and early 1900s.
Description
This is a Stanley Model 60 runabout steam-powered automobile made in 1910. Several companies, notably White, Stanley, and Locomobile (a Stanley spinoff), built steam-powered automobiles in the late1890s and early 1900s. In spite of their drawbacks—they were difficult to start and control and they could explode—sales of steam cars were steady, though modest. During the 1910s, the Stanley brothers continued to tinker with their steam cars, and their company turned out a small number of hand-crafted cars each year until the mid-1920s.
Perhaps more than any other early automobile, "Stanley steamer" conjures up romantic images of popular though obsolescing vehicle technologies at the turn of the twentieth century. Of three competing forms of automotive power—steam, electricity, and internal combustion—only steam was a well-stablished power source for long-distance transportation. As the automobile market grew, it was only natural that inventors, tinkerers, and manufacturers adapted steam power for production cars. The Stanley twins, Freelan and Francis, were pioneers of steam car technology and bridged a gap between technological adaptation and commercial production. Fewer than 1,000 Stanley cars were made each year, but the make developed a lasting reputation for power and speed. Stanley cars were entered in many auto races and held impressive records, including a world speed record set in 1906.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1910
maker
Stanley Motor Carriage Company
ID Number
1982.0417.01
catalog number
82.0417.01
accession number
1982.0417

Sayers & Scovill Radiator Emblem

This radiator emblem belonged to a Sayers brand automobile that was manufactured by the Sayers & Scovill Company of Cincinnati, Ohio around 1924.
Description
This radiator emblem belonged to a Sayers brand automobile that was manufactured by the Sayers & Scovill Company of Cincinnati, Ohio around 1924. Sayers & Scovill concentrated their manufacturing on trucks, hearses, and ambulances, producing few passenger vehicles until their last few years of existence, which were called the S & S. The S & S was often used as a hearse, but could also be used as a passenger vehicle. The Sayers were exclusively built on 118 inch wheelbases with six cylinder engines, and sold from $1295 to $3295. This dented emblem reads “S&S” in red in the center, the rim reads “THE SAYERS & SCOVILL CO/CINCINNATI” in raised letters.
Radiator emblems are small, colorful metal plates bearing an automobile manufacturer's name or logo that attached to the radiators grilles of early automobiles. Varying in shape and size, the emblems served as a small branding device, sometimes indicating the type of engine, place of manufacturing, or using an iconic image or catchy slogan to advertise their cars make and model. This emblem is part of the collection that was donated by Hubert G. Larson in 1964.
Location
Currently not on view
ID Number
TR.325528.215
accession number
260303
catalog number
325528.215

Tootle

Original artwork, of page 41, for the book Tootle, written by Gertrude Crampton with illustrations by Tibor Gergely, published by Golden Press in New York, New York, in 1945.Born in Budapest, Hungary into a middle-class Jewish family, Tibor Gergely (1900-1978) was captivated by a
Description (Brief)

Original artwork, of page 41, for the book Tootle, written by Gertrude Crampton with illustrations by Tibor Gergely, published by Golden Press in New York, New York, in 1945.

Born in Budapest, Hungary into a middle-class Jewish family, Tibor Gergely (1900-1978) was captivated by art and culture at a young age. Known as a graphic illustrator and a caricature artist, Gergely’s early works documented Jewish life before the rise of Hitler. By 1939 the political situation in Europe was dire, and Gergely and his wife immigrated to America. They settled in New York and his love affair with the city never waned. He was enchanted with his new life in a postwar New York that included skyscrapers, rushing traffic and the excitement of life in the big city.

By 1940 Gergely was working for the American Artists and Writers Guild and became a popular illustrator for Little Golden Books, providing drawings for more than seventy books, including illustrations for The Taxi that Hurried, Make Way for the Thruway, Five Little Firemen and Tootle. His portrayals of America's rapidly expanding transportation systems and the recognition of public servants foretold the dramatic social and cultural events that would impact American society in the 1950s.

Location
Currently not on view
Date made
1945
maker
Gergely, Tibor
ID Number
1992.0634.066.16
accession number
1992.0634
catalog number
1992.0634.066.16

Scrimshaw Sperm Whale’s Tooth, Mid-19th Century

Nearly every spot on this small sperm whale tooth is decorated. The center of the main side contains a generic US warship in the center, with a swallowtail pennant on the foremast, a homeward bound pennant on the main mast and a big American flag off the stern.
Description
Nearly every spot on this small sperm whale tooth is decorated. The center of the main side contains a generic US warship in the center, with a swallowtail pennant on the foremast, a homeward bound pennant on the main mast and a big American flag off the stern. Above it floats a thistle; below is a crosshatch basket of flowers. Vines connect the edges of the tooth to the other side, the bottom of which is etched with an American eagle shield with thistles in its beak and crossed American flags in its talons. Above it floats a heart with a star in the middle. Three arrows and a horn pierce it through the middle, and above floats another vine. On the final edge is a head-on view of a ship with studding sails flying. It appears to be an alternate view of the ship on the other side of the tooth, judging from its visible flags. Around the base of the tooth, a sharp dentil molding draws all the images together into one composition.
Scrimshaw began in the late 18th or early 19th century as the art of carving whale bone and ivory aboard whale ships. The crew on whalers had plenty of leisure time between sighting and chasing whales, and the hard parts of whales were readily available on voyages that could last up to four years.
In its simplest form, a tooth was removed from the lower jaw of a sperm whale and the surface was prepared by scraping and sanding until it was smooth. The easiest way to begin an etching was to smooth a print over the tooth, prick the outline of the image with a needle and then “connect-the-dots” once the paper was removed. This allowed even unskilled craftsmen to create fine carvings. Some sailors were skilled enough to etch their drawings freehand. After the lines were finished, they were filled in with lamp black or sometimes colored pigments.
Scrimshaw could be decorative, like simple sperm whale teeth, or they could be useful, as in ivory napkin rings, corset busks (stiffeners), swifts for winding yarn or pie crimpers. The sailor’s hand-carved scrimshaw was then given to loved ones back on shore as souvenirs of the hard and lonely life aboard long and dangerous voyages.
Location
Currently not on view
ID Number
TR.67.723
accession number
248268
catalog number
67.723

Road Map of St. Louis, ca 1989

This American Automobile Association (AAA) issued this road map of St. Louis during the late 1980s. Before GPS and map applications, paper maps were an invaluable resource to traveling motorists.
Description
This American Automobile Association (AAA) issued this road map of St. Louis during the late 1980s. Before GPS and map applications, paper maps were an invaluable resource to traveling motorists. AAA was established in 1902 as a conglomeration of motorist clubs, and began campaigning for improved roads, providing roadside services, and supplying its members with maps, hotel information and tourist guides. The cover of this map features images of St. Louis’ attractions including the Gateway Arch, the St. Louis Zoo, the St. Louis Science Center, and the St. Louis Cardinals baseball team.
ID Number
2014.3100.10
catalog number
2014.3100.10
nonaccession number
2014.3100

Byrider Electric Auto Company Radiator Emblem

This radiator emblem belonged to a Byrider electric vehicle that was manufactured by the Byrider Electric Automotive Company of Cleveland, Ohio between 1908 and 1910.
Description
This radiator emblem belonged to a Byrider electric vehicle that was manufactured by the Byrider Electric Automotive Company of Cleveland, Ohio between 1908 and 1910. The Byrider Company was originally the DeMars Electric Vehicle Company, going through several other iterations before it became the Byrider. The Byrider was built on a 71 inche wheelbase, and sold for $1800. The emblem reads “THE/BYRIDER/ELECTRIC AUTO/CO/CLEVELAND, OHIO. /N°.”
Radiator emblems are small, colorful metal plates bearing an automobile manufacturer's name or logo that attached to the radiators grilles of early automobiles. Varying in shape and size, the emblems served as a small branding device, sometimes indicating the type of engine, place of manufacturing, or using an iconic image or catchy slogan to advertise their cars make and model. This emblem is part of the collection that was donated by Hubert G. Larson in 1964.
Location
Currently not on view
ID Number
TR.325528.038
accession number
260303
catalog number
325528.038

Ordinary Racing Bicycle, 1887

Dan Rudge & Co., of Coventry, England manufactured this Ordinary racing bicycle around 1887. This racing model was undoubtedly sold by their U.S. agents, Stoddard, Lovering & Co., of Boston, Massachusetts. The bicycle was originally owned by Godfrey A. S.
Description
Dan Rudge & Co., of Coventry, England manufactured this Ordinary racing bicycle around 1887. This racing model was undoubtedly sold by their U.S. agents, Stoddard, Lovering & Co., of Boston, Massachusetts. The bicycle was originally owned by Godfrey A. S. Wieners who used it in racing events held by the Manhattan Athletic Club.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
ca 1887
maker
Rudge, Daniel
ID Number
TR.318212
catalog number
318212
accession number
232558

Plate 9. Ruins at Manassas

Text and photograph from Gardner's Photographic Sketchbook of the War, Vol. II. Negative by Barnard & Gibson, text and positive by Alexander Gardner.Early in March, 1862, the rebel army, under Gen.
Description
Text and photograph from Gardner's Photographic Sketchbook of the War, Vol. II. Negative by Barnard & Gibson, text and positive by Alexander Gardner.
Early in March, 1862, the rebel army, under Gen. Johnson, evacuated Centreville and Manassas, (their Northern line,) and commenced a retreat towards Richmond. It was orderly and well conducted for several days, but as the last trains were leaving, some of the soldiers fired a bridge south of the junction, supposing that all the trains had gone. Two, however, had not left, and these were at once fired, together with the surrounding buildings, used by the Railroad Company for depot, machine and repair shops, &c. Everything was destroyed, except half a dozen cars, which contained flour and some camp equipage of a South Carolina Brigade, and which for some reason escaped the conflagration. The old wooden turn-table was uninjured, and is a fair sample of the old fashioned equipage of the Orange and Alexandria Road, at that period. A few mud huts, and about fifty broken down wagons, and the usual debris of a winter's camp, were the sole remnants of the rebel army, which, like the Arabs, had folded its tents, and silently stolen away. Manassas Junction was but a level plain, as seen by the photograph, and with neither natural or artificial works of any strength, the fortifications at that time consisting only of rude mud banks.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1862-03
maker
Gardner, Alexander
ID Number
1986.0711.0334.09
accession number
1986.0711
catalog number
1986.0711.0334.09

Half Model of the Pilot Schooner Hesper

Hesper was a Boston pilot schooner, designed for speed in order to be the first to reach offshore merchant vessels and escort them through the treacherous harbor islands into the port.
Description
Hesper was a Boston pilot schooner, designed for speed in order to be the first to reach offshore merchant vessels and escort them through the treacherous harbor islands into the port. The fastest boat got to the client first, and Hesper had the reputation of being the fastest of the fast throughout her working career. Designed in 1884 by Boston naval architect Dennison J. Lawlor, the schooner measured 102 feet on deck by 23 feet in beam, with a 12-foot draft.
Location
Currently not on view
designer
Lawlor, Dennison J.
ID Number
TR.076037
catalog number
76037
accession number
15228

1935 Simplex Servi-Cycle Motorbike

Beginning in 1935, the Simplex Manufacturing Corporation of New Orleans made motorbikes, which were smaller and lighter than motorcycles. Their simple designs made personal transportation accessible to young people and adults.
Description
Beginning in 1935, the Simplex Manufacturing Corporation of New Orleans made motorbikes, which were smaller and lighter than motorcycles. Their simple designs made personal transportation accessible to young people and adults. Owners found many uses for Servi-Cycles, including errands, pleasure rides, and package delivery using a three-wheeled model. Top speed was 40 miles per hour, and average cruising speed was 30 miles per hour. Postwar sales were strong, but Servi-Cycle sales declined in the 1950s because of the growing popularity of imported motor scooters. Simplex ended motorbike production in 1960 but made motor scooters until 1972, when the company went out of business.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1935
maker
Simplex Manufacturing Company
ID Number
TR.317365
accession number
230387
catalog number
317365

Can, STP oil treatment

Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
ID Number
2017.0091.30
catalog number
2017.0091.30
accession number
2017.0091

medal

Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
Date made
1880
ID Number
NU.68.21.837
catalog number
68.21.55
276536
68.21.837

Studebaker Radiator Emblem

This Studebaker “turning wheel” radiator emblem belonged to a Studebaker brand automobile that was manufactured by the Studebaker Automobile Company of South Bend, Indiana from 1912 until 1934.
Description
This Studebaker “turning wheel” radiator emblem belonged to a Studebaker brand automobile that was manufactured by the Studebaker Automobile Company of South Bend, Indiana from 1912 until 1934. Sudebaker operated from 1852 until 1967, originally founded as the Studebaker Brother’s Manufacturing Company that originally produced wagons and supplies for miners and the military.
Radiator emblems are small, colorful metal plates bearing an automobile manufacturer's name or logo that attached to the radiators grilles of early automobiles. Varying in shape and size, the emblems served as a small branding device, sometimes indicating the type of engine, place of manufacturing, or using an iconic image or catchy slogan to advertise their cars make and model. This emblem is part of the collection that was donated by Hubert G. Larson in 1964.
Location
Currently not on view
ID Number
TR.325528.230
accession number
260303
catalog number
325528.230

medal

Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
Date made
1845
ID Number
NU.68.263.1050
catalog number
68.263.1050
accession number
281689

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