Wisconsin History Day By Day

Related Web Sites:

Auto Race - Green Bay to Madison Waymark

Read More About It

"The Golden Age of Wisconsin Auto Racing" by Father Dale Grubba

Vocabulary:

ox teams

Interesting Fact:

The winning car was named "Oshkosh" because it was built in that city.

Study Questions:

Who was the winning driver?

What were the roads like in 1878?

What was the average speed of the winning car?

U.S. historical events that occurred on July 16:

1790: The District of Columbia is established as the seat of the U.S. government.

July 16

July 16, 1878: The first auto race in the country began in Green Bay, traveling 201 miles to Madison on roads that had been built for wagons and ox teams. The winning steam-powered car finished the race in 33 hours while the other broke down. The winner collected $5,000.

Wisconsin History Day By Day homepage January - December calendar page

July 16, 1878: The first auto race in the country began in Green Bay, traveling 201 miles to Madison on roads that had been built for wagons and ox teams. The winning steam-powered car finished the race in 33 hours while the other broke down. The winner collected $5,000.