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University of Central Florida STARS Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2004-2019 2012 The Comradeship Of The Open Road: The Identity And Influence Of The Tin Can Tourists Of The World On Automobility, Florida, And National Tourism David Michael Burel University of Central Florida Part of the History Commons Find similar works at: https://stars.library.ucf.edu/etd University of Central Florida Libraries http://library.ucf.edu This Masters Thesis (Open Access) is brought to you for free and open access by STARS. It has been accepted for inclusion in Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2004-2019 by an authorized administrator of STARS. For more information, please contact [email protected]. STARS Citation Burel, David Michael, "The Comradeship Of The Open Road: The Identity And Influence Of The Tin Can Tourists Of The World On Automobility, Florida, And National Tourism" (2012). Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2004-2019. 2352. https://stars.library.ucf.edu/etd/2352 THE COMRADESHIP OF THE OPEN ROAD: THE IDENTITY AND INFLUENCE OF THE TIN CAN TOURISTS OF THE WORLD ON AUTOMOBILITY, FLORIDA, AND NATIONAL TOURISM by DAVID MICHAEL BUREL BA. University of Central Florida, 2009 B.S. University of Central Florida, 2009 A thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts in the Department of History in the College of Arts and Humanities at the University of Central Florida Orlando, Florida Spring Term, 2012 © 2012 David Burel ii ABSTRACT The identity of the Tin Can Tourists of the World, the first recreation automobile organization, has been poorly defined in the historical discourse, the factors contributing to the 1919 formation of the organization in Tampa, Florida represents a landmark shift in tourism in America towards the automobile. The group’s subsequent solidification of a distinct identity gives insight beyond their organization. The thesis defines their identity as well as looks at their impact on American automobility and tourism. The thesis therefore focuses on the previously undefined concept of recreational automobility giving it definition and showing how the group helped to define it. The group’s early role in mass use and adaptation of the automobile for recreation represents the first steps in creating a market for recreational vehicles. The imposition of organization on the camping experience by the Tin Can Tourists and their influence on creating special places for the practice of their activities helped define recreational automobility. The footprint left by the Tin Can Tourists helped shape part of America’s modern tourist industry. The legacy of their ideas about recreational automobility also suggests influence they had on later groups using recreational vehicles. This thesis examines and clarifies the identity and influence of the Tin Can Tourists of the World as a window on important trends in automobility and tourism. iii I lovingly dedicate this thesis to my fiancée and soon to be wife Jennie Miller. She supported me through the whole thesis and her support made the process so much better. iv ACKNOWLEDGMENTS I would like to acknowledge all of those who helped me through the process of writing my thesis. In particular, I would like to thank Dr. Amy Foster who served as my advisor on this thesis and helped make this final product infinitely better. I would like to thank also my committee members Dr. Connie Lester and Dr. Ezekiel Walker for the valuable input they gave me. I also would like to thank the rest of the excellent faculty I have had at the University of Central Florida in particular the history department that have taught me so much and helped me move forward in my academic goals. On a personal note I would like to thank my mother for her support throughout my schooling providing housing, food and numerous other things for me and making pursuing my degrees at UCF that much easier. I also want to thank my dad who has supported me through the years with tuition, vehicles, and input. I would also like to thank Jennie Miller my fiancée and soon to be wife for all of her help and support in writing my thesis. I would like to thank the staff at the Florida Library and Archives for their help and for allowing me to access the valuable Tin Can Tourists records at their facility in Tallahassee, Florida. I would like to thank the University of Central Florida library and staff for providing me with resources, books and a great place to do much of my writing for this thesis. v TABLE OF CONTENTS LIST OF FIGURES ................................................................................................................ viii LIST OF TABLES .................................................................................................................... ix INTRODUCTION ......................................................................................................................1 Terminology & Definitions .....................................................................................................2 Historiography & Research Questions .....................................................................................6 Chapter Outlines ................................................................................................................... 11 CHAPTER ONE: THE RISE OF THE TIN CAN TOURISTS OF THE WORLD: EARLY AUTOMOBILITY, FORMATION AND THE ORIGINS OF RECREATIONAL AUTOMOBILITY .................................................................................................................... 14 Early Automobility, Developing Roads and Highways and Foundations for Recreational Automobility ......................................................................................................................... 15 Autocamping, the Formation of the Tin Can Tourists of the World and the Rise and Demise of Tin-Canners ...................................................................................................................... 32 CHAPTER TWO: THE TECHNOLOGY OF RECREATIONAL AUTOMOBILITY AND FINDING “HOME” ON THE ROAD ....................................................................................... 58 The Birth of the Recreational Vehicle .................................................................................... 60 The Travel Trailer Era: Manufacturing Mainstream Recreational Automobility ..................... 64 Trailer Shows: Expanding Recreational Automobility and Manufacturer Relationships ......... 74 Recreational Vehicle Campgrounds and Community Relations ............................................. 78 CHAPTER THREE: TIN CAN TOURIST IDEOLOGY AND RETIREMENT ON THE ROAD ................................................................................................................................................. 86 vi Auto-Nomads in the Sunshine State and Retirement on the Road .......................................... 87 Mobility as the Basis for Freedom, Autonomy and Democracy ............................................. 94 Maintaining Respectability, Issues of Race and Women’s Roles............................................ 97 CONCLUSION: THE LEGACY OF THE TIN CAN TOURISTS OF THE WORLD ............ 104 The Demise of the Tin Can Tourists of the World and Rebirth of “Tin Can Tourists” .......... 107 LIST OF REFERENCES ........................................................................................................ 111 Primary Sources .................................................................................................................. 111 Archival .......................................................................................................................... 111 Books .............................................................................................................................. 111 Images ............................................................................................................................. 112 Periodicals ....................................................................................................................... 112 Secondary Sources .............................................................................................................. 113 Books .............................................................................................................................. 113 Miscelleneous.................................................................................................................. 114 vii LIST OF FIGURES Figure 1: Model T Price, 1908-1916 .......................................................................................... 17 Figure 2: Model T Production, 1908-1916 ................................................................................. 17 Figure 3: Registrations of Automobiles in the United States, 1905-1930 ................................... 19 Figure 4: Factory Sales of Passenger Cars per Year, 1905-1930 ................................................ 21 Figure 5: Surfaced Mileage of Rural Roads and Municipal Streets, by Surface Type ................. 24 Figure 6: Tin Can Tourists at De Soto Park, 1920 ...................................................................... 34 Figure 7: Tents at Tin Can Tourists Convention - Arcadia, Florida. ........................................... 36 Figure 8: Royal Chief Otho Granford Shoup at Gainesville ....................................................... 51 Figure 9: Map and Mileage Record for a Trip to Florida ...........................................................

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