George Schuster's Thomas Flyer in
Valdez
We are offering one of the greatest Alaska postcards ever
discovered. An original artifact from the famed "New York to
Paris Auto Race", this postcard of George Schuster's Thomas
Flyer, the very automobile that won the greatest automobile
race in history, was mailed from Valdez Alaska on April 27,
1908, when the car was in Valdez.
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The sender states:
"Valdez Alaska 4/27/08.
This is the Thomas Car (American) in the New York to Paris
Auto Race. It reached here April 8. but on according of
the deep snow had to be reshipped to Seattle - do you
recognize me? I saw the death notice of Mr. Alford in the
Oregonian - write and tell me all about it - am very
sorry. Sincerely M. De L - Eames."
The postcard was addressed to "Mr. Fred Winter, Registry
Office, Portland, Oregon". |
On March 26, 1908, George Schuster and his Thomas Flyer
boarded a ship in Seattle bound for Alaska.
According to automuseum.org "There has not been another
attempt at a round-the-world auto race since 1908, and as
the current world record holder, this is arguably the most
historic American automobile in existence." |
An excellent web site on
the race is at
http://www.leftrightonline.com/newsarticlesearch_detail.cfm?ID=26
and
http://www.thegreatautorace.com
see also
Dermot Cole's 1991 book "Hard Driving"
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