Unless you work for a Tucson towing company or you frequently find yourself in car accidents, you might not often think about modern tow trucks let alone their history. You would be missing out on an intriguing story, however, and one that is worth experiencing. Continue reading as we look back at the history of tow trucks.
Chickamauga Creek
The first incident that inspired the idea for the tow truck occurred in Chattanooga, Tennessee, in 1916. A Ford Model T found its way into the Chickamauga Creek, and the resulting extraction took many hours and a great deal of manpower. Ernest Holmes Sr. was one of the men that helped in the extraction, and the incident inspired him to create the prototype that would eventually go on to start the towing industry.
Prototype and Development
Holmes’s first towing—or “wrecker”—prototype was unsuccessful, but he quickly learned from his mistakes and shortcomings. Against the warnings and discouragement of others, he continued to work on his wreckers and filed a patent in 1919. The wreckers Holmes built were designed to attach onto used cars, the first of which was a 1913 Locomobile.
Pricing and Sales
Ernest Holmes began with a 680 model wrecker, named for its price in U.S. dollars. This turned out to be too expensive, so the 485 took its place. The government would eventually contract Holmes to focus his efforts on the war until his fatal heart attack in 1945. His family continued his business and eventually sold it to the Dover Corporation in 1973.
Now that you know about the history of tow trucks, learn about the history of Barnett’s Towing by visiting our website. We are among the highest quality Tucson tow truck companies and pride ourselves on our customer service. Give us a call at 1-800-722-2302 if you are interested in learning more about our company.
