Trailer Shows of the Past

Trailer Shows were popular events. A trade show gave you the opportunity to see all the current models of the year in one place and you were likely to see a celebrity or daredevil while visiting. It was a day out, strolling through an area and looking at beautiful homes – I can’t think of a better way to spend the day!

A combination of competitiveness and invention was the key to success for the mobile home manufacturing companies and several delivered innovative designs that would become standard in all homes. Public interest in trailers fueled the attendance of the trade shows, where the latest designs and innovation could be seen. Companies were racing to display their new designs at the trade shows before the competition did. Being the first to the market equated to more sales. Research and development were well funded to make the homes bigger, better, and more attractive.

The following photos are from the various trailer and mobile home shows from 1935-2014. Campers were first shown in auto shows and even the auto executives admitted that the new campers and trailers stole the shows. It didn’t take long for trailer shows to headline their own events.

1935 York Trailer Show Display:

 Source: Mr. Ed’s Camping Days – mredsewingroom.blogspot.com

1935 Trailer Show:

1935 Bowlus Road Chief Demonstration at a Trailer Show: 

Trailer Travel: A Visual History of Mobile America

1936 The Third Outing Trailer Show, Sponsored by The Trailer Coach Association of America – Courtesy of the Auto Club of Southern California:

Trailer Travel: A Visual History of Mobile America

1936 Airfloat Trailer, Courtesy of the Auto Club of Southern California:

Trailer Travel: A Visual History of Mobile America

Trailer Travel: A Visual History of Mobile America

1941 Eighth Outing Show:

Trailer Travel: A Visual History of Mobile America

Unknown Date- Parade of Homes Illustration of a Trailer Show:

 Trailer Show daredevil takes off: 

Trailer Travel: A Visual History of Mobile America

Trailer Travel: A Visual History of Mobile America

1950 Sportsmen’s Vacation and Trailer Show at Gilmore Stadium:

Trailer Travel: A Visual History of Mobile America

The interior shots below were taken during the 1955 Mobile Home Manufacturers Association Show in Cleveland, Ohio. They were featured on a neat website called No Pattern Required.

Manufactured home shows are still going strong today. In fact, there’s an article here on Mobile and Manufactured Home Living about last year’s Clayton Home Show. You can tell by the photos that the homes kept getting bigger and better each year! The 1930s to the 1960s represented a wonderful era of innovation and progress for mobile homes and the American ingenuity shined through each and every one of them.

Thank you for reading Mobile Home Living!