Thomas Edison went camping with a U.S. president.

Famous Figures

I n 1915, a group known as the Vagabonds embarked on a series of summer camping trips around the U.S. These wayfaring travelers weren't just any old campers, but rather some of the most well-known figures in American history: inventor Thomas Edison, industrialist Henry Ford, naturalist John Burroughs, and businessman Harvey Firestone. The idea was conceived in 1914 when Ford and Burroughs traveled down to Florida to tour the Everglades with Edison. In 1915, Edison, Ford, and Firestone took a road trip throughout Southern California, and it was during that excursion that the group's nickname was informally chosen.

Before long, these expeditions ballooned into a sophisticated operation, with some trips featuring as many as 50 vehicles filled with additional staff and equipment. The group journeyed through the Adirondacks, the Catskills, Appalachia, and many other stunning natural sites across the country. In time, the American public grew fascinated with these expeditions. The Vagabonds even attracted the attention of sitting President Warren G. Harding, who briefly joined them in 1921 for a camping trip in Maryland. During his visit, Harding chopped wood, rode horses, and sat around the campfire before returning to Washington, D.C. Three years later, the Vagabonds were invited to join President Calvin Coolidge at his childhood home in Vermont in 1924, where they spent an hour taking photographs, discussing politics, and exchanging gifts. Unfortunately, these trips began to attract too much unwanted public attention, forcing the Vagabonds to disband later that year.

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By the Numbers

Patents held by Thomas Edison

1,093

Price of the first Ford Model T (~$29,000 today)

$850

Electoral votes won by Warren G. Harding in the 1920 election

404

Year Harvey Firestone began manufacturing rubber tires

1896

Did you know?

Warren G. Harding appointed a former U.S. president to the Supreme Court.

Warren G. Harding may not be the most famous president, but many unique events occurred during his time in office. For instance, Harding is the only POTUS to nominate a former U.S. president to the Supreme Court. On June 30, 1921, Harding chose William Howard Taft — who served as president from 1909 to 1913 — to fill the chief justice vacancy. Harding and Taft had known each other for several years; Harding even delivered the nominating address for Taft at the 1912 Republican National Convention. After his own election in 1920, Harding met with Taft to seek advice about the presidency and also to gauge the former president's interest in sitting on the Supreme Court. Taft, who was initially surprised by the request, later replied to express interest in the role of chief justice. Harding eventually obliged, and Taft served on the Supreme Court from 1921 to 1930.

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