RV Industry Celebrates Centennial - 100 Years of Exploration and Innovation

Americans, it seems, have been destined to be RVers since the earliest days that explorers set foot on this continent. Adventurers at heart, settlers came in search of freedom and opportunities to grow and discover. And, discover they did – first by ship, then by horse, in groups by Conestoga wagon trains, and ultimately, by motorized vehicles that became the RVs of today.

A century ago, the popularization of the automobile, improving roads, and America’s passion for exploration gave rise to mass-produced, manufactured recreation vehicles, and the RV industry was born. In 2010, Recreation Vehicle Industry Association (RVIA) and the RV industry will mark this centennial with an array of special activities celebrating the 100-year journey of a uniquely American product.

In 1910, there were few gas stations, few paved roads and no highway system. But there were RVs. Through war and peace, booms and busts, fuel lines, fads and the cyber revolution, the RV lifestyle has endured and is still going strong, even in today’s challenging economic times.

“Think about how far we’ve come in the past 100 years in terms of technology, yet the reasons to RV remain the same,” says RVIA President Richard Coon. “RVing has been able to thrive and grow because people still enjoy the freedom that it provides.”

The industry will celebrate its centennial in 2010 with a series of events that showcase today’s innovations and new products while emphasizing America’s century-long love affair with RVs.

“Recognizing and celebrating the 100th anniversary of the RV industry in a unique opportunity to tell our story to the media and public,” says Coon.

1910 Marks Birth of Modern RV Industry
The roots of RVing are as old as pioneers and covered wagons. But 1910 is the year that America’s leading RV historians – David Woodworth, Al Hesselbart and Roger White – cite as the beginning of what has become the modern RV Industry.

Click here for more information on the RV Industry Centennial Celebration.