Watch Horatio's Drive: America's First Road Trip

Horatio's Drive: America's First Road Trip is a fascinating historical documentary series, which takes the audience back to the year 1903 when America was just on the cusp of an automobile revolution. The story is based on a real-life account of a man named Horatio Nelson Jackson who set out to tackle the unheard-of challenge of driving from coast to coast across the United States.

The documentary is narrated by Keith David, whose captivating voice keeps the momentum of the story going. The series features several prominent actors, including Tom Hanks, Adam Arkin, and Ken Burns, who also contribute their voices to the comical and often shocking excerpts from the memoirs of Horatio Jackson.

The first episode follows the ambitious Horatio Nelson Jackson, a wealthy and unassuming doctor from Vermont, who decided to take up the $50 challenge proposed by a friend to drive across America without any experience driving an automobile. The show serves as a historical throwback to the time when automobiles were rare, and cross-country driving was considered a herculean feat. The first episode details Jackson's journey from San Francisco to Nebraska, as he navigates through dirt roads, thick forests and even manages to strike up a friendship with a stray dog named Bud.

Throughout the documentary, the showrunners have used an impressive mix of old photographs, reenactments, and original footage to give the audience a taste of what it was like to travel through small towns, dirt roads, and covered bridges at the turn of the 20th century. The second episode sees Jackson cross the country's interstate through the Rocky Mountains, where he, along with his co-driver, Sewall Crocker, encounter countless hardships, ranging from treacherous mountain passes, mechanical breakdowns, roadblocks, and even a dangerous encounter with outlaws.

One of the most striking aspects of Horatio's Drive: America's First Road Trip is its depiction of the racial and gender-based prejudices of the era. The show does not shy away from portraying how women, Native Americans, and African Americans were treated during this time. In one episode, the team's car is stopped by a sheriff who accuses them of car theft, simply because they were two black men driving a car. Horatio's Drive: America's First Road Trip goes beyond just showing us the beauty of the landscape and the novelty of experiencing automobiles for the first time. Instead, the series shines a light on a part of American history that is often overlooked and not taught in schools.

The final episode sees Horatio Nelson Jackson and his companions finally reach their destination on July 26, 1903, almost three months after their journey began. The documentary does an excellent job of contextualizing Horatio's journey in the larger narrative of America's gradual transition to an automobile-driven society. The episode also details Jackson's later life, including his ventures in the automobile industry and his death in a car accident.

In conclusion, Horatio's Drive: America's First Road Trip is a gripping and informative documentary series that sheds light on one of America's most remarkable road trips. The show combines beautiful imagery, warm humor, and a captivating narrative to create an entertaining and enlightening viewing experience. Keith David's engaging narration, the stunning visuals of America's landscapes, and the incredible true story of Horatio's journey make this a must-watch series for any history buff or automobile enthusiast.

Horatio's Drive: America's First Road Trip is a series that ran for 1 seasons (1 episodes) between October 3, 2003 and on Amazon Addon