Mini-Archive of images documenting Car Camping in the early 20th Century, with detailed scenes showcasing America’s unique relationship with the great outdoor.

The turn of the 20th century saw a boom in camping as a recreational activity in the United States. The establishment of the U.S. Forest Service in 1905 and the National Park Service in 1916 increased awareness of America’s bountiful nature spaces, and the growing popularity of affordable automobiles meant people could not only travel further to campgrounds, but could more easily travel to locations that were previously unreachable to all but the most rugged of adventurers. Throughout this collection of photographs taken by the New York-based Brown Brothers, early automobiles can be seen in the background, as much a part of the landscape as the mountains and the trees.

While people still regularly slept in tents, often incorporating their cars into the structure, the invention of the camping trailer wasn’t far behind the automobile. Three photographs document early examples of such accommodations, including two interior shots of what appears to be the same trailer. One shows the bedroom with hinged beds, and the other depicts an older woman washing dishes in a kitchen. A handwritten note to verso explains that the kitchen features running water, a gasoline stove, and an ice box.

Many of the photographs include such handwritten notes to verso detailing what is depicted and occasionally providing specific details about the individuals shown. An image of a woman writing a letter notes “This lady and her son have been traveling three months a year for the last five years thru practically every part of the country.” Throughout the photographs, people can be seen reading, writing, playing cards, and sitting in conversation.

Brown Brothers was founded by Arthur and Charles Brown in 1904. The first stock photo agency, the company rapidly expanded to cover events across the northeast United States, with photographers as far south as Washington, D.C. and as far west as Pennsylvania.