The Seaman of the Sealed Car

In 1949 Don Haynes, a 39 year old truck driver, made a bet that he would spend the next 14 months traveling to each of the 48 states while welded inside his car. The car came equipped with a chemical toilet and phone (and, someone suggested, removable floorboards so he could occasionally sneak out). Haynes’ wife was pregnant at the time so when she delivered Haynes had the car lifted on a crane so he could check in on his wife and baby in their second floor hospital room. Unfortunately, Haynes gave up just three weeks short of completing his journey when he lost track of his advance publicity man. Later, he would embark on quest to collect pajamas from the governor of each state though he failed to complete this task as well, stopping after collecting 41. Haynes would return to the car throughout the 50s and 60s- in the late 50s he and wife his shut themselves in and traveled the country billing themselves as “The Nomads”- but what became of the “Seaman of the Sealed Car” after that is a mystery.

From Square America via s.a.'s wonderful Omnibus