Modes of Transportation

The steam engine made self-powered transportation possible - and our romance with trains began. James Watt (a Scotsman) patented the design for a steam locomotive in 1784 and his employee, William Murdoch, made a working model of a self-propelled steam carriage soon after. Then, in 1804, an Englishman made a full scale steam locomotive - and a new industry was born.

Remember your old bike? Bet you loved it and have many fond memories riding around the neighborhood. While these bikes from the 1800's are different from those today, this 1937 video provides an excellent snapshot of bicycle evolution. You've seen pictures, maybe, but seeing them in action is just plain fascinating!

On October 1st 1908, Henry Ford's first production Model T was completed in the Ford Piquette Avenue plant in Detroit Michigan, where they would eventually build around 15 million cars. While it wasn't the first car produced, it was the first car "made for the masses" making transportation easier than ever. Costing $500 by 1917, the average middle class family could finally afford a car and the race to building highways and infrastructure was on! The Model T (1908 - 1927), contrary to popular memory, was built by Henry Ford before the Model A (which was built from 1927 - 1931). But Ford wasn't the only automobile producer during the first half of the 20th century. This collection of photos shows various models and our love of cars throughout history.

Next week, the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally in South Dakota is holding its 76th annual celebration. People come from all over the United States, and sometimes the world, to rally around their favorite form of transportation - motorcycles. Did you know the first steam motorcycle was built in 1867? Whether it's for touring, policing, racing, fighting a war, or delivering the mail, riding a bike has always just been a whole lot of fun!

From the flight of the Wright brothers (Orville and Wilbur Wright) in 1903, to the first man on the moon on July 20th, 1969. These daring men and women helped push the limits of human experience into the air with the creation of airplanes. These pictures from 1909 through the 1960's show the people and technology in the first half of the 20th Century of the history of machine flight.