Would you believe me if I told you that this wonderful traveling trailer you love so much, known as the Airstream, was actually invented during the Great Depression times? Well, yes, it is true.
During the Great Depression, people needed things to get their minds off of everything that was going on around them.
People wanted to focus on "better" things, the United States government began working on creating a better standard highway.
As a result, people wanted new vehicles and different ways to travel without having to spend money that actually was not around.
Just like any typical "great," or better said terrible economic time, something good had to come out of it.
During this time, a magazine publisher, Wally Byam, needed a way to get more people to read his articles and want to keep buying the magazine so that he would not loose his job.
With all the extra time on his hands, Wally, he began to publish instructional guides.
These guides were known as "how to's", they were do it yourself guides in order for consumers to be able to build their own things without having to spend so much money.
One of Wallys instructional guides was a "how to build your own camping trailer".
However, after many readers attempted to follow this guide, they started complaining to the publishing company that his instructions were to hard to figure out, thus resulting in too many problems along the way.
Wally was so upset that his readers were having such a terrible time at doing something that actually interested them that he set out to build his own trailer in his backyard.
With his personal history of traveling, serving his country as a Marine, graduating from law school and becoming a publisher he was able to accomplish this, out of all things, building a trailer in his own backyard.
As time passed and Wally got closer to the completion of his trailer, he would end up selling it to someone.
This would result in him starting to build another trailer, however, the same thing would happen and he would have to start all over again on yet another trailer.
People were so amazed with his trailers, that when someone would buy one and show it around, someone else wanted one too.
With each new trailer, Wally began making additional improvements, thus he started calling his designs the "Airstream".
With each new Airstream, new improvements and innovations came along.
Wally started making them taller, this allowed for people to actually be able to stand instead of just slouch around.
In addition to taller trailers, he started making them more spacious, by using a dinette that converted into a bed, and simply putting all space to use.
Other improvements came by adding containers so that the Airstream could have a water supply on hand.
With all his knowledge and the association of William Hawley Bowlus, a pioneer airplane designer, Wally was also able to improve the aerodynamics of his creations.
From back during the Great Depression days to today, there are numerous different types of Airstream recreational vehicles on the road.
From different sizes and shapes to all sorts of styles and amenities.
Today, in some way, Wally is still pleasing his clients.
For us, it just simply means more wonderful ways to enjoy our traveling.