Photograph
International Special Delivery Truck on Snowy Street
| International Special Delivery truck on a snowy street in the Midwestern United States. The truck bears a sign that reads "Here it is! The truck that crossed the Sahara Desert." The truck was the first stock, four wheel motor vehicle to cross the Sahara Desert between December 1927 and April 1928. The trip started in Nairobi, Kenya. There the truck was outfitted with a special body and loaded with provisions such as a five gallon can of oil, one of water, and 76 gallons of gas. From there the truck traveled northwest for 3,800 miles over barren terrain and through rivers until it reached Kano, Nigeria. The driver, Mr. C.N. King, worked for the International Harvester Export Co. He was accompanied by a priest who wanted to visit mission stations along the way. The trip took 19 days, with the truck averaging 18.09 miles per gallon. At Kano, in March 1928, the truck was sold to two explorers who drove it north across the Sahara to Algiers. Sixteen days and 2,818 miles later, Sir Charles Markham and his companion, a Swede named von Blixen-Finecke arrived in Algiers. The truck subsequently toured the United States as part of an International Harvester publicity campaign. |
| Image ID: | 6928 |
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| Creation Date: | 1929 |
| Creator Name: | International Harvester Company |
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| Collection Name: | Photo albums, circa 1899-1965 |
| Genre: | Photograph |
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| A cropped version of this image appeared in "Harvester World" magazine (April 1929, pg. 15). |
| Voyages and travels |
| Men |
| Outdoor photography |
| Signs and signboards |
| Travel |
| Trucks |
| Snow |
| This image is issued by the Wisconsin Historical Society. Use of the image requires written permission from the staff of the Collections Division. It may not be sold or redistributed, copied or distributed as a photograph, electronic file, or any other media. The image should not be significantly altered through conventional or electronic means. Images altered beyond standard cropping and resizing require further negotiation with a staff member. The user is responsible for all issues of copyright. Please Credit: Wisconsin Historical Society. |
| Location: | Wisconsin Historical Society Archives, 4th Floor, Madison, Wisconsin |
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