THE SOCIAL IMPACT OF THE AUTOMOBILE I:
Photo Gallery:
From the pre 1910 era, the automobile began to have a huge impact on American colture. The foundations of our current social structure dates back to these early developments.
After around 1915, people began to travel. At first it was diatances of of fewer than 50 miles. Every decade, the distance grew larger. The auto camp was one of the first big changes. People went to scenic places and set up tents. Their camps reflected how people lived at thea time.
By the late 1920's the travel trailer was in style:
From tent to trailer, people wanted to travel. Vacation spots moved from crude camp sites to fully enclosed trailers. It's interesting that the first trailers were primarily made of wood.
Before there was Motel 6. there were small cabins built by individuals:
At first, people living along the highways began to build small cabins about the size of a typical modern bedroom. They were often used for illicit affairs so history records. As this became evident, owners made restrictions on nightly renters. It was not till the late 1930's that chain motels began to pop up. Small privately owened cottages still dominated the market till after WWII.
The small resturant with short order cook:
Food service and bed & breakfast businesses operating out of residences were the first service establishments. Next came resturants outside towns. It wasn't till the late 1930's that the resturant business began to grow. It wasn't till after WWII that the chains got big!
Fast Food Establishments:
The first fast food resturants existed because the menues were typically small so food came more quickly. It wasn't till the McDonalds brothers built a mass production line type of food service that the traditional fast food establishment emerged. It has become a hallmark of American society today!
The Outdoor Movie Theatres:
Outdoor theatres got their beginning in the 1930's and there were just a few. They grew till bu the mid 1950's there were thousands. There are still a few today but they are no longer popular largely because so many have big screen TV's and movies on demand.
The Car Club/Show Movement:
The first modern car clubs emerged in the mid 1950's. At that time the automobile was barely 50 years old. The first shows were old cars, then custom cars, followed by the hot rod. Car clubs and shows have changed immensely.