By the early teens, trailers were being built not only to carry camping equipment, but to also be used as "house trailers." These units were designed to store provisions, prepare meals, and to contain beds; "living rooms" were the great outdoors. By the mid teens, imaginative builders were creating "house cars" by motorizing their camping vehicles. Some were permanently built on auto or truck chassis, and some were exchangeable, whereby a passenger body could be used for daily travel and then switched with a camping body for vacation travel. Until the mid 1920s, almost all such units were homemade or one of a kind - built by local craftsmen. Then a few manufacturers began building for resale and the rush was on.

The 1929 crash slowed things down somewhat, but the "trailerites" were not slowed long by the depression. By 1939, there were well over 100 companies active in the growing trailer coach industry. World War II also caused a pause in the industry growth, but with the early 1950s, came the great technological advances such as on-board refrigeration, hot and cold running water, toilets, showers, and generators that popularized the self-contained traveling lifestyle. The 1960s brought hundreds of new companies (many of today's industry giants) into the industry that was again nearly destroyed by the fuel shortages and high interest rates of the 1970s when almost half of the industry either went out of business or merged into some of today's industry giants. Through the 1970s, the lifestyle was still primarily referred to as camping. In the early 1980s, another change brought complete livability to the units. Many people with little interest in camping and nature based activities became attracted to rigs having living room space with TV, VCR, air conditioning and other home comforts and the lifestyle known as RVing was born. Today, many RVs are better equipped with modern living accessories than the permanent home of their owners. Units with six and even seven digit price tags are sold nearly as fast as they can be produced.

From the 1930s through the 1950s and into the 60s, unit lengths were usually less than twenty feet with twelve to fifteen foot units very common. Most motorized, as well as the towable units of the 60s, were less than 25 feet long. With the improvement of both vehicles and highways, unit length began to grow and we arrive at the common thirty to forty foot long units of today. It was this growth that allowed the addition of more home-like features to today's RV. Early unit pricing varied as widely as prices today. Entry-level towables in the depression days of the 1930s were primarily sold in the $250 to $400 range with luxury trailers ranging as high as $1,000. At the same time, luxury fifth wheel rigs (which were generally sold with a matching tow vehicle included) and "land yacht" housecars up to 35 feet long were being sold for $25,000 and up.

Today's RV lifestyle has come a long way from its earliest roots in the camping activities of horse and buggy days and the early auto campers through the trailerites and Tin Can Tourists of the 20s, 30s, and 40s. The medium sized campers of the 50s and 60s began the move to modern conveniences and comforts, but the upsizing of vehicles and the resulting larger units of the 70s and 80s really allowed campers to become RVers and made today's luxury RV lifestyle possible. This has attracted a completely new group of customers who have no real interest in camping and basic outdoor activities but who enjoy the  benefits of self-contained travel both temporary and full time.

For more information on the rich history of the RV industry, visit the archives of the RV/MH Heritage Foundation in Elkhart, Indiana.