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The Thomas Flyer and Team in Valdez, Alaska, New York to Paris Race, 1908

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Artifact Overview

The American team in the 1908 New York to Paris race shipped their automobile to Alaska after reaching San Francisco. Race planners had thought the cars could cross at the Bering Strait. Soon after landing, the Americans -- the only ones to reach Alaska -- learned that race officials decided that all teams would ship their vehicles to Vladivostok, Russia, and restart the race.

Artifact Details

Artifact

Lantern slide

Subject Date

08 April 1908

Location

By Request in the Benson Ford Research Center

Object ID

92.1.1774.100

Credit

From the Collections of The Henry Ford. Gift of the Family of Henry Austin Clark, Jr.

Material

Glass (Material)

Color

Black-and-white (Colors)

Dimensions

Height: 3.25 in
Width: 4 in

Inscriptions

Label adhered to side of glass lantern slide, handwriting in pencil reads: Valdez Alaska (impassable) / NYP 16 / 251 Handwritten in image lower edge: P.S. Hunt / G 1801. / THE AMERICAN AUTO PARTY READY TO TAKE THE THOMAS CAR DOWN THE WHARF / VALDEZ ALASKA APR 8 - 08
The Thomas Flyer and Team in Valdez, Alaska, New York to Paris Race, 1908