Glidden Tour
Encyclopedia
The Glidden Tours were promotional events held during the automotive Brass Era
by the American Automobile Association
(AAA). The AAA, a proponent for safer roads, acceptance of the automobile and automotive-friendly legislation
, started the tour to promote public acceptance and bring awareness of their goals.
The original Glidden Tours were held from 1902 through 1913. They were named after Charles J. Glidden, a financier and automobile
enthusiast, who presented the AAA with a trophy first awarded to the winner of the 1905 tour.
At the turn of the century automobile travel was difficult as the road systems around the world were generally not well suited for the horseless carriage.
To bring more awareness and sponsorship to the event, the AAA announced that the tour would be a "reliability and endurance" tour, a type of road rally
. This attracted automobile manufacturers who competed to test their vehicles and use the events for advertising.
The tours were gruelling events: cars broke down, were damaged by accidents, and encountered nearly impassable roads. Drivers and teams did repairs on the run and helped out other drivers having difficulties.
The tours went several hundred miles in the US and occasionally into Canada
with time limits between check points and a point scoring system to determine a winner of each event. The time limits caused some problems with the inhabitants of where the tour traveled through as autos scared horses, caused personal and property damage and sometimes appeared to not care.
s traveling premarked routes and stopping in local towns to show off their vehicles, many people dressed in period costume. The coveted silver Glidden trophy is still presented to the winner of the event although the treacherous travel of the early tours is rarely if ever encountered today.
Brass Era car
The automotive Brass Era is the first period of automotive manufacturing, named for the prominent brass fittings used during this time for such things as lights and radiators. It extends from the first commercial automobiles marketed in the 1890s until about World War I...
by the American Automobile Association
American Automobile Association
AAA , formerly known as the American Automobile Association, is a federation of 51 independently operated motor clubs throughout North America. AAA is a not-for-profit member service organization with more than 51 million members. AAA provides services to its members such as travel, automotive,...
(AAA). The AAA, a proponent for safer roads, acceptance of the automobile and automotive-friendly legislation
Legislation
Legislation is law which has been promulgated by a legislature or other governing body, or the process of making it...
, started the tour to promote public acceptance and bring awareness of their goals.
The original Glidden Tours were held from 1902 through 1913. They were named after Charles J. Glidden, a financier and automobile
Automobile
An automobile, autocar, motor car or car is a wheeled motor vehicle used for transporting passengers, which also carries its own engine or motor...
enthusiast, who presented the AAA with a trophy first awarded to the winner of the 1905 tour.
At the turn of the century automobile travel was difficult as the road systems around the world were generally not well suited for the horseless carriage.
To bring more awareness and sponsorship to the event, the AAA announced that the tour would be a "reliability and endurance" tour, a type of road rally
Road rally
A road rally is a car rally that takes place on the public road. It is a popular sport in the United Kingdom, especially Wales, and has traditionally been the core of the "grass roots" of club-based amateur motorsport. However it has declined in popularity since the 1980s and now stage rallies are...
. This attracted automobile manufacturers who competed to test their vehicles and use the events for advertising.
The tours went several hundred miles in the US and occasionally into Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
with time limits between check points and a point scoring system to determine a winner of each event. The time limits caused some problems with the inhabitants of where the tour traveled through as autos scared horses, caused personal and property damage and sometimes appeared to not care.
Revival
The Glidden Tours were revived in 1946 by the Veteran Motor Car Club of America (VMCCA) and have continued since with antique carAntique car
In the United States, an antique car is generally defined as a car over 45 years of age, this being the definition used by the Antique Automobile Club of America. However, the legal definition for the purpose of antique vehicle registration varies widely. The antique car era includes the veteran...
s traveling premarked routes and stopping in local towns to show off their vehicles, many people dressed in period costume. The coveted silver Glidden trophy is still presented to the winner of the event although the treacherous travel of the early tours is rarely if ever encountered today.
External links
- Color photo of Glidden Trophy in the Antique Automobile Club of America Photo Gallery
- http://maps.google.com/maps?f=d&source=s_d&saddr=Buffalo,+NY+(Glidden+Tour,+9+Jul+1908)&daddr=Cambridge+Springs,+PA+to:Pittsburgh,+PA+to:Bedford+Springs,+PA+to:Harrisburg,+PA+to:Philadelphia,+PA+to:Delaware+Water+Gap,+PA+to:Milford,+PA+to:Albany,+NY+to:Boston,+MA+to:Poland+Spring,+ME+to:Rangeley,+ME+to:Bethlehem,+NH+to:Saratoga,+NY&hl=en&geocode=&mra=ls&sll=42.488302,-75.256348&sspn=9.07211,19.511719&ie=UTF8&z=61908 Glidden Tour Legs] with approximate route charted on Google Maps
- Film from a 1964 Glidden Tour Alexander Film Co. Archive has a series of videos featuring the 1964 Glidden Tour "Pikes Peak or Bust"
