It is estimated that 35 million drivers will be hitting the road for Labor Day Weekend, and no doubt many of them will be traveling with their dogs. So today I share with you the story of Bud, an American Pit Bull Terrier, who is the first dog to go on a car ride across the country.
In 1903 Dr. Horatio Nelson Jackson accepted a $50 bet to be the first person to drive across the country from San Francisco, California to New York City. Not only had this never been done before, Jackson wagered he could do it in just three months. Problem is at the time Jackson didn’t even own an automobile, or even a dog for that matter! However, he was determined to prove that “horseless carriages” were not just a passing fad. So he purchased a used 20 horsepower, bright cherry red automobile made by the Winton Motor Carriage Company, and hired Sewall K. Crocker to be his copilot and mechanic for this record setting trip.
Ok, I bet you’re wondering where Bud the dog fits into this story. Bud was purchased for $15 somewhere around Caldwell, Idaho. Although right from the onset Jackson wanted a dog as a mascot for this grand adventure, it was good he waited before adding Bud to the team. You see not having ever done this before, and with little to no time to plan before setting out, Jackson and Crocker had a bit of a learning curve to overcome. Roads were barely useable back then, and less than 150 miles were even paved. In fact most were mere cow paths at best. Also cars did not come with creature comforts back then, like shock absorbers. So needless to say that first cross country road trip was a bit bumpy. During the first few miles of this journey Jackson lost important gear and supplies that were jostled off the overpacked car. However, by the time Bud joined the team, they had a better grasp of the daunting task at hand, with it’s frequent breakdowns, getting stuck, and backtracking due to obstacles in the way. Ok, they never did learn how to better secure the load and lost supplies the entire trip. However, at least Bud could hang on…most of the time.
In addition to decent shock absorbers, another “luxury” missing from Jackson’s Winton were seatbelts. Bud learned pretty quickly how to brace himself for all the bumps in the road. However, nothing could have prepared him for the hidden obstacle in the road that threw him, Jackson and Crocker from the vehicle! Luckily no one was seriously injured in this accident just outside of Buffalo, New York, and after a few minor repairs they were able to continue their history making journey. Other standard features missing from that early automobile were a windshield and a roof. So not only did Bud have to hang on tight, he did it wearing goggles to protect his eyes! Also it wouldn’t be a true road trip if Bud didn’t get an upset tummy along the way from eating bad food, or in this case drinking bad water. Another mishap during their impromptu adventure was the trio arrived in one small town seeking a place to bathe. Apparently they had hit a skunk along the way, making this quite possibly the first recorded road kill!
Despite their tight schedule to complete this journey in three months, Bud slowed down their travels by wandering off in Chicago, Illinois to celebrate with the crowds who came out to cheer on these weary travelers. In fact, wherever they went Bud got almost as much attention as the automobile. Local reporters couldn’t resist including photos of Bud with the car in their articles chronicling the adventure. He must have been a strange looking creature wearing those goggles, and posing by what was no doubt the first automobile many folks ever saw in the small towns they passed through. But it wasn’t all fun and games for Bud. He also guarded the car from inquisitive onlookers when his traveling companions would step inside hotels for a break.
In the early hours of the morning on July 26, 1903, Bud, Jackson and Crocker rolled into New York City, making them the first successful team to drive an automobile across the country. Ok, so technically Bud didn’t start in California, but do you blame him? He wanted to make sure Jackson and Crocker knew what they were doing first! Their history making trip was approximately 4,500 miles in 63 days, 12 hours and 30 minutes, and this $50 bet cost Jackson somewhere around $8,000. But for Jackson, it was worth every penny and misadventure along the way.
Bud quickly became the most famous dog in the country, being featured with his human companions in newspapers and advertisements. In fact, Jackson would proudly tell everyone that Bud was “the one member of [our] trio who used no profanity on the entire trip,” even under the most trying of circumstances. Following this grand adventure, Bud finished out his days in Burlington, Vermont with Jackson and his wife, never passing up the opportunity to go for a car ride. Bud, the first dog to go on a cross country road trip, died in 1913 at approximately 10 years old. Today his goggles are part of the permanent collection at National Museum of American History. To learn more about the first team to successfully drive an automobile across the country, we recommend the Ken Burns’ documentary, Horatio’s Drive: America’s First Road Trip.
