The Great American Campout: Inside the Vagabonds’ Epic Road Trips

In the early 1900s, four of the most famous names in American history—Thomas Edison, Henry Ford, John Burroughs, and Harvey Firestone—formed an unlikely camping crew known as the Vagabonds. What started as a simple road trip in 1914 turned into a series of epic summer adventures, with these legends hitting the road in caravans loaded with cars, staff, and gear, exploring some of the most beautiful places in the U.S.

Their travels became so iconic that even Presidents wanted in on the action. Warren G. Harding joined them for a camping trip in 1921, and Calvin Coolidge invited them over in 1924. But the spotlight eventually grew too bright, and by the mid-1920s, the Vagabonds had to call it quits. Still, their epic journeys remain a cool slice of American history.

(Information and photo via historyfacts.com)

Topics History

Montana Outdoor Weekly Pulse

Montana's outdoor week, in your inbox at 7am Friday.

The Great American Campout: Inside the Vagabonds’ Epic Road Trips

(Information and photo via historyfacts.com)

You Might Also Like