1865 Sylvester H. Roper Steam Carriage Drawing
THF277055 / 1865 Sylvester H. Roper Steam Carriage Drawing / 0
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Artifact Overview
Sylvester Roper's steam-powered carriages anticipated the automobile, though Roper never produced his self-propelled vehicles commercially. This drawing of a Roper Steam Carriage shows two cylinders connected by long rods to a single rear axle. The firebox and boiler are located directly under the operator's seat (not shown). Roper cleverly pre-heated boiler water by circulating it through tubes in the smokestack.
Artifact Details
Artifact
Technical drawing
Date Made
circa 1930
Location
Not on exhibit to the public.
Object ID
2019.0.3.37
Material
Paper (Fiber product)
Technique
Drawing (Image-making)
Color
Black-and-white (Colors)
Dimensions
Height: 18 in
Width: 24 in
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Related Artifacts
Artifact1865 Roper Steam Carriage
This vehicle is the oldest surviving American automobile. In the 1860s, a small steam carriage running under its own power -- without horses! -- was so startling that people paid to see it driven. It was a curiosity, not transportation. By the time its inventor, Sylvester Roper, died in 1896, new innovators were transforming horseless carriages from curiosities into practical vehicles.
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Related Content
article1865 Roper Steam Carriage: The Oldest Surviving American Automobile
The 1865 Roper Steam Carriage is the oldest surviving American automobile. Learn more about this fascinating piece of automotive history at The Henry Ford.