I'm not sure where my fascination with vintage travel trailers started. Maybe it was Lucy's 'Long Long Trailer'? Maybe it was just the idea of always having a home and being able to take it with you no matter where you went.
Across the United States there are several "trailer parks" filled with vintage travel trailers of all shapes and sizes that you can rent by the night. One being the Shady Dell, in Bisbee, Arizona. I had the pleasure of staying here in August of 2000, whilst on a road trip form Albuquerque, New Mexico to SanDiego, CA. It was amazing. Filled with trailers from the 1930's through the 1960's, each restored and decked out in furnishings of the same era. I think up until then I'd only ever been aware of the Airstream and some of the more "canned ham" style trailers. But it was there that I discovered the Spartan travel trailer, more specifically- the Royal Mansion. It was quite literally the mansion of travel trailers. A gleaming aluminum streak, 30...40+ feet long. It retained all the design-love and vintage-awe, but dwarfed the Airstream. And the interiors had all you could ever hope to bring along with you from home.
I was in love.
The Spartan travel trailer began manufacturing by the Spartan Aircraft Co. in the 1940's. The Spartan's interior has all your basic needs, but with an ample amount of space to live. And with all the vintage style you could ask for. They are sought after with collectors and vintage automobile enthusiasts, but are not easily acquired. The Spartan was the luxury travel trailer of it's time, so there just aren't many of them lurking around. When I decided to start searching for a vintage trailer to purchase I started looking at vintage Airstreams. I never in a million years thought I'd not only find a Spartan for sale, an affordable one at that. Low and behold there it was. A 1948 Spartan Royal Mansion, 33 feet of aluminum awesome.
It was all there and in great shape, with an interior worth saving almost every last bit of. Unfortunately a previous owner had already painted over the glorious glowing wood interior. What were they thinking?! It had been covered in what i like to call "rental white" or "tenement white". Depressing. Ah well. So a new coat of paint was needed to brighten it up a bit. And I already had a pile of vintage furnishings, so they made themselves right at home.
Every time i pull into the driveway and see it gleaming in the wooded shadows i still can't believe i own such a majestic beast. Now if only i could pull it with my 1957 Volvo sedan I'd be all set!
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