On Sunday morning, a friend alerted me to a convoy of Model T Fords driving toward Jonesville. I had no idea what was going on, so I went downtown to the park to watch them go by. Several cars had stopped to rest and I went to visit with some interesting people from across the country. They told me about the month long trip that 55 antique car drivers were taking.
2009 marks the centennial of the 1909 Ocean to Ocean Endurance Contest. A 1909 Model T Ford was the first to cross the finish line in the historic New York to Seattle race. The competition lasted 22 days of indescribable driving conditions noting that there were not a significant amount of passable roads at that time in the United States. Highly creative and ingenious ideas needed to be incorporated to overcome the many challenges that they encountered. Heat, rain, and snow were some of Mother Nature’s obstacles. Mud, quicksand, and streams were natural hazards. Deserts and badlands caused the drivers to easily get lost in a world before Global Positioning Satellites (GPS). The original race required the occupants to be drivers, mechanics, and problem-solvers.
In memory of the centennial of that feat in automobiling, fifty-five Model T’s, ranging in vintage from 1909 to 1927, are following the original route of the 1909 racers. The participants will be stopping nightly in towns in which the early racers stopped a century ago. Only in a few instances, in which the old roads have disappeared, will the 2009 racers run on interstate highways, minimizing the amount of deviation from the original route.
Fifty Model T’s from the United States represent each of the fifty states, with five additional vehicles coming from overseas. The 2009 Centennial Run started at New York City Hall on Sunday, June 14 and will end on Sunday, July 12 at the Drumheller Fountain in Seattle, Washington. On this leg of the journey, three days were spent in the Detroit area, most at the Henry Ford Museum and Greenfield Village in Dearborn, Michigan. The cars trekked along Highway U.S.-12 through Jonesville on Fathers Day on their way to South Bend, Indiana. Future stops on the itinerary include Hannibal, Missouri, and Fort Collins, Colorado. To repair, man, and maintain the antique vehicles, every fourth day is a free day.
Given the ever-increasing danger of modern traffic, this may be the last time such an event will be able to be held to recognize the beginning of the Model T era, which put the world on wheels. The cars have been averaging about 200 miles a day. At a top speed of around 40 miles per hour, these vehicles are on the move 5-6 hours a day.
I was excited to see so many vintage vehicles in great condition travelling through Jonesville. I was equally happy to have the opportunity to visit with some interesting and colorful characters from all over the country. As an added bonus, it was a glorious first day of summer with warm temperatures and a sunny sky. A large photo gallery of this experience can be found online, courtesy of one of the participants.
During events like this, it would be nice to have enough lodging available in town to take take care of a large group of interesting characters. Jonesville is a great town, strategically located on a scenic route through Southern Michigan. There’s only room for 14 people at the Munro House B&B. My friends at the old train station–the Rooms at Grayfield–can handle 6 more. We will be patiently waiting for smaller groups of 20 or less to spend a night or two with us in our great old town.
Mike Venturini – Innkeeper
“Life is good in Jonesville”