Everything Everywhere Daily: History, Science, Geography & More - The History of Camping

Episode Date: May 9, 2024

We are all familiar with camping, and many of us go camping or camp regularly. Enjoying the great outdoors with friends and family can be an enjoyable experience. However, camping has a history that is unlike most things in humanity. The path from the ancient world to luxury glamping was not straight.  Despite having very ancient roots, what we know today as camping is a relatively modern phenomenon.  Learn more about the history of camping and how we went from the rugged outdoors to luxury experiences on this episode of Everything Everywhere Daily. Sponsors Available Nationally, look for a bottle of Heaven Hill Bottled-in-Bond at your local store. Find out more at heavenhilldistillery.com/hh-bottled-in-bond.php Subscribe to the podcast!  https://link.chtbl.com/EverythingEverywhere?sid=ShowNotes -------------------------------- Executive Producer: Charles Daniel Associate Producers: Ben Long & Cameron Kieffer   Become a supporter on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/everythingeverywhere Update your podcast app at newpodcastapps.com Discord Server: https://discord.gg/UkRUJFh Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/everythingeverywhere/ Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/everythingeverywheredaily Twitter: https://twitter.com/everywheretrip Website: https://everything-everywhere.com/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We're all familiar with camping, and many of us go camping or camp regularly. Enjoying the great outdoors with friends and family can be an enjoyable experience. However, camping is a history that is unlike most things in humanity. The path from the ancient world to luxury glamping was not a straight one. Despite having very ancient roots, what we know today as camping is a relatively modern phenomenon. Learn more about the history of camping and how we went from the rugged outdoors to luxury experiences. on this episode of Everything Everywhere Daily. This episode is sponsored by Heaven Hill Bottled and Bond Bourbon.

I recently had the chance to try Heaven Hill bottled and bond, and I can attest to its exceptional aromas with hints of caramel and vanilla intertwining with its oakiness, which provide a well-rounded flavor profile. Taking a sip is akin to experiencing a piece of bourbon history firsthand. Heaven Hill Distillery might be America's most quintessential bourbon distillery. established in 1935 after the end of Prohibition, the distillery was established by the Shapira family and has remained a family-owned distillery to this day. They are still located in the heart of the Bourbon Trail in Bardstown, Kentucky.

Heaven Hill Bottled and Bond Bourbon is part of a tradition that goes back to the 19th century. In 1897, Congress passed the Bottled in Bond Act, which set forth strict rules for any bourbon labeled Bottled in Bond. At the time, there were no rules about what could be called bourbon, or how it was made. The law stipulated that anything labeled Bottled and Bond had to be the product of one distillation season by one distiller at one distillery. Moreover, it had to be aged for four years in charred white oak barrels. Heaven Hill Bottled and Bond bourbon goes beyond the stringent requirements of the law by aging its bourbon for seven years, not four. The end result is Heaven Hill

Bottled and Bond, a gold medal winning bourbon that truly stands out. It's something that you can enjoy at home with friends or even at your favorite luxury camping spot. Available nationally, look for a bottle at your local store, Heaven Hill bottled in bond. And Heaven Hill reminds you to think wisely and drink wisely. The weird thing about camping is that if you go back thousands of years, back before the rise of civilization and agriculture, you can say that no one ever went camping. And at the same time, you can also say that everybody was camping. every moment of their lives. The definition of camp as a verb means to, quote, live temporarily

in a camp or outdoors. So even if they were camping, no one would have thought of it as such because that was just life. When civilization arose and people became more settled, almost nobody still went camping. The vast majority of the ancient population was involved in agriculture, so they were very close to nature all of the time, even if they had some sort of home. Pretty much no one had any desire to go sleep on the ground when you could sleep in your home where you had a roof, food, and a fire. If you were outdoor sleeping, you were probably in a position where you had no choice in the matter. This was the state of affairs for thousands of years. This isn't to say that no one ever camped outside. Soldiers on campaign would have

established camps, and there's a good reason why a military camp and camping share the same root word. Not everyone would have been roughing it in a military camp, however. Commanders would often have elaborate camps with large tents, tables, chairs, and even artwork. All of this stuff had to be transported in the baggage train so the commander could have a camp that was better than how most people at the time lived. More on that in a bit. This was the situation for centuries. People were mostly rural, and other than going out for an afternoon, nobody went camping for recreational purposes. It just wasn't a thing.

That began to change, however, in the late 18th and early 19th centuries. Industrialization was taking place. Cities were growing, becoming more crowded and dirty. Railroads and steamships allowed for rapid transportation of people and goods. It was in this environment that the Romantic and Transcendentalism Movement started. These movements promoted a sense of awe and grandeur in the face of nature's power and mystery. Romantics like William Wordsworth, Samuel. Samuel Taylor Coldridge and Lord Byron, as well as transcendentalists like Ralph Waldo Emerson

and Henry David Thoreau, began to rethink humans' role in nature. It was in this environment that some people began going out into nature for recreation, not necessity. One of the first advocates of recreational camping was a man by the name of Thomas Hiram Holding. Born in England in 1844, his family immigrated to the United States and took a wagon train across the country so they could settle in Oregon. He and his family actually had to camp for five weeks on the banks of the Mississippi River

while waiting for their wagon train to leave. However, after difficulties on the journey, where several family members died, they ended up going back to England. His early experiences in the United States stuck with him, and throughout his life he would go camping whenever he could. He helped popularize bicycle camping and even developed a lightweight tent that could be carried on a bicycle. But most importantly, in 1908 he published The Campers Handbook.

The book outlined the joys of recreational camping and made a large impact in popularizing the activity. About the same time, also in England, another British man named Lord Baden Powell established the Boy Scouts. One of the core components of this new organization was camping in outdoor activities, which he felt helped build character. One of the things that helped popularize recreational camping in the early 20th century was the rise of the automobile. Not surprisingly, people began to quickly create automobiles that allowed for camping. The Pierce Arrow Touring Landau introduced in 1910 is considered to be the first recreational vehicle or RV. It featured a backseat that converted into a bed, had a folding wash basin, and a toilet, signaling the start of the RV industry. The Pierce Company was considered to be one of the first luxury automobile companies.

A group known as the Tin Can Tourists was established in 1919. They were an automobile camping club that promoted safe and clean campgrounds, high moral standards, and family entertainment. It wasn't long before the marriage of automobiles and camping became more sophisticated, allowing people to camp without foregoing the conveniences of home. In 1936, the Airstream Corporation released its first camping, trailer, which could accommodate four people. The trailer had electric lights and its own water supply. Before the Second World War, however, camping was still a relatively niche activity. The end of World War II,

however, saw a rise in interest in camping as returning soldiers had disposable income, more automobiles, increased free time, and perhaps most importantly, young families. Camping became an affordable way for people to go on vacation. Moreover, increased automobile adoption made it easier to get to camping sites such as national parks. The development of the interstate highway system in the United States made longer trips possible. And this spurred innovation beyond trailers. In 1958, Raymond Frank, the owner of a trailer company, wanted more than a trailer to take his family on a trip to Florida.

The current options on the market at the time were either a trailer like the Airstream or a trailer that was just grafted onto a truck. Frank wanted something different, so he built a purposeful recreational vehicle from the ground up. It was the first such vehicle that you would probably recognize as an RV, and Frank dubbed his vehicle the motorhome. His motorhome became the foundation of a company called Travco. That same year in 1958, the Winnebago Company was founded and became the number one brand in recreational vehicles. The RV industry expanded rapidly with the company.

innovations in design and comfort. Motor homes became more popular, offering the convenience of being self-propelled units rather than just towed trailers. However, there was still a market for trailers, which were cheaper and more affordable to own. One innovation that took root in the late 1960s was an adaptation of an earlier idea called the Trailer Tent. A man by the name of David Rowe developed a roof that could be raised and lowered and applied it to a system for raising and lowering the roofs of campers that were in the beds of pickup trucks. The sides of the camper were made out of fabric like a tent and could collapse whenever the roof was lowered. This innovation led to the development of both truck campers and pop-up campers. RVs became larger and more luxurious,

equipped with modern amenities such as air conditioning, televisions, and microwaves. And this period also saw the rise of fifth-wheel trailers. Throughout the 80s and 90s, mobile homes continued to get more luxurious and ever larger. Eventually, some of them became the size of coach buses and had become literal homes. Even though they could be driven from place to place, many of them would tow another car behind them because it was easier to drive another car once their RV was parked. Today, a luxury motorhome can cost several hundred thousand and go all the way over a million dollars, even more than some traditional static homes. And here I should address the contradiction that many of you might be thinking.

Isn't camping supposed to be about going into the wilderness and experiencing nature? Don't large motorhome sort of violate the spirit of what camping is supposed to be about? Well, the answer is yes and no. Ever since camping became a movement in the 19th century, there have been two different wings, and two different philosophies about camping. For example, the noted naturalist John Muir would often go on excursions into the backwoods of Yosemite with nothing but a frying pan and a blanket. This wing of the camping movement also began taking backpacking excursions in the 20th century,

sometimes hiking for hundreds or thousands of miles with nothing but what they could carry on their backs. The other wing of the camping movement did all they could to keep the comforts of civilization, even though they may have been far away from it. The history of luxury camping dates back to wealthy American and European travelers who would embark on African safaris that embody mobile luxury, bringing with them elaborate tents and all the comforts of home, including fine linens, furniture, and gourmet food. In the 19th century, these safaris often had dozens of porters who carried all of the gear, often by hand or on pack animals. Royal tours and military campaigns often involve luxurious mobile accommodations that allow dignitaries and officers to maintain their standard of living while in the field. These elaborate setups can be considered early forms of luxury camping, emphasizing comfort in the midst of nature or while on the move.

While these early examples of luxury camping were reserved for the rich and powerful, it shouldn't come as a surprise that, like many luxuries, it was eventually democratized. The modern version of luxury camping is now known as glamping, a portmanteau of glamorous and camping. The term glamping first appeared in only 2005, and it was already in the Oxford English Dictionary by 2016. The concept of glamping, as we know it today, began to take shape in the late 20th and early 21st centuries. This period saw a growing desire for unique and authentic travel experiences that connected people with nature, without requiring them to forego luxury and comfort. A glamping experience may involve slipping in a tent, but the tent will cover an actual bed with high thread count sheets.

The 21st century has witnessed an explosion in the popularity of glamping, fueled by the digital aid, social media, and a growing emphasis on experiences over material possessions. People increasingly seek unique and Instagram-worthy travel experiences that combine adventure with the comforts and amenities that they enjoy. The rise of ecotourism and sustainable travel has also significantly contributed to glamping's popularity. Many glamping sites prioritized ecological responsibility, offering accommodations that are not only luxurious, but also minimally impactful on the environment. The history of camping has not had a very straight path.

It was an activity that was once part of daily life for tens of thousands of years for our hunter-gatherer ancestors. And then it became something that few people ever considered doing for fun for several thousand years more. And finally, within the last century or so, camping has found a place as one of the most popular recreational activities, regardless if you're roughing it or if you decide to do it with style. The executive producer of Everything Everywhere Daily is Charles Daniel. The associate producers are Benji Long and Cameron Kiever. I want to give a big shout out to everyone who supports the show over on Patreon, including the show's producers.

Your support helps me put out a show every single day. And also, Patreon is currently the only place where Everything Everywhere Daily merchandise is available to the top tier of supporters. If you'd like to talk to other listeners of the show and members of the Completionist Club, you can join the Everything Everywhere Daily Facebook group or Discord server.

Links to everything are in the show notes.