History of the Motor Home

Motor homes are recreational vehicles that are equipped with living space and amenities that are found in a typical home. They originated as horse-drawn wagons in the 1800s and were used for more practical purposes. They provided accommodation and shelter for people who were displaced by war, racial conflicts, natural calamities, and other factors. In England, covered wagons also carried the equipment used by performers who travelled in search of an audience for their art. They also transported businessmen to other places where they can offer their services to distant employers.

Early motor homes started out in Canada in 1910. These vehicles were nothing more than shelters placed on car or truck bodies. The modern motor home and the RV industry started out in the US in the late 1920s and 1930’s during the introduction of the automobile industry. These started out as “house trailers” that were attached to the automobile. In the 1950s, two distinctive industries emerged. One was the manufacturing of towed mobile homes, which originated from the original house trailers. The second industry involved the manufacture of self-contained accommodations in vehicles, the precursor to the modern motor home.