What is "American" about American Transportation?
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1891 Abbot Downing Concord Coach
The stagecoach is a symbol of the American West, but its origins are in New England. First built in the 1820s, Concord coaches featured an innovative leather-strap suspension that produced a rocking motion over rough roads — easier on passengers and horses alike. This example carried passengers and mail in New Hampshire and Maine before the automobile made it obsolete.
Buckboard Used by the Dr. George E. Woodbury Family, circa 1885
The buckboard was simple, practical, and distinctly American. Instead of a body and springs, a long resilient board provided the suspension. This buckboard belonged to Dr. George E. Woodbury of Methuen, Massachusetts. Family tradition holds that Woodbury designed the vehicle himself and used it for recreational driving around Methuen in the 1880s.
View Artifact1957 De Soto Fireflite Hardtop
De Soto appealed to drivers who desired the cutting edge of technology. Soaring fins and an airy roof suggested military jet fighters. Pushbuttons replaced old-fashioned transmission levers. And De Sotos were powerful — perfect for the new high-speed, four-lane turnpikes and the newly funded interstate highway system.
