"Gilkie Camp Trailer-- Your Vacation Home," circa 1932

THF125974 / "Gilkie Camp Trailer-- Your Vacation Home," circa 1932
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Artifact Overview

The Gilkie trailer, according to this promotional brochure, freed travelers from their worries. Families could travel -- and stop -- wherever they pleased without fretting about the quality or availability of hotels. The trailer's compact folded design made for easy driving too. Its low profile reduced wind resistance and didn't block the rear window.

Artifact Details

Artifact

Trade catalog

Date Made

circa 1932

Subject Date

circa 1932

Collection Title

Location

By Request in the Benson Ford Research Center

Object ID

2011.363.1

Credit

From the Collections of The Henry Ford.

Material

Paper (Fiber product)

Technique

Printing (Process)

Color

Black-and-white (Colors)

Dimensions

Height: 6.25 in (Folded)
Width: 3.25 in (Folded)
Height: 1.75 in (Unfolded)
Width: 6.25 in (Unfolded)

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    Campers who wanted to get close to nature -- but not too close -- loved fold-out tent trailers. These two-wheelers folded down for easy towing by day and then mushroomed into miniature homes at night. Story has it that Warren and Ray Gilkison designed and built their first tent trailer in their father's machine shop for a family camping trip.
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