The Vanderbilt Cup

35 artifacts in this set

This expert set is brought to you by:

The staff at The Henry Ford

America's earliest auto races were small-time contests. Wealthy enthusiast William K. Vanderbilt, Jr., thought the United States needed a big, signature event. Starting in 1904, he organized an annual road race through Long Island, New York, that attracted top American and European drivers and manufacturers. When a Connecticut-built Locomobile won the Vanderbilt Cup in 1908, it helped prove that America's automotive industry had arrived.

Detailed Description

Members of the Vanderbilt Cup Race Commission, Including Henry Ford, 1906

Photographic print

William K. Vanderbilt, Jr., pictured at center, was a great-grandson of steamboat and railroad magnate Cornelius Vanderbilt. "Willie K." had both the time and money to pursue auto racing seriously. He won an early hill climb at Newport, Rhode Island, in 1901, and then he raced in Europe. Vanderbilt returned to America determined to organize a major race on Long Island.