By John Barrett

In the early days of the automobile, towns did not plow their roads. If anything after heavy snow, a town would “roll” the streets, compacting the snow to form a “snow road” that horse drawn sleighs could travel on. A review of Townsend town report from 1911, indicates an appropriation for “snow roads and snow sidewalks. Was this a reference to “rolling” the streets? Oddly enough, a 1915 annual report budget refers to $10.87 for repair of a plow. Even as late as 1921, town reports refer to “breaking snow roads and sidewalks” and spending $750 for same. More research is needed as, sadly, there are only a few people remaining who might remember “rolling” the roads.

In those early days, most car owners put their cars away in the dead of winter, and walked or hitched old Nellie back up. While Model T’s had high clearance to drive on snow covered roads, driving on ice packed roads on skinny tires, which originally had very little skid proofing qualities, were not their cup of tea. Still to get around in the automobile, some people came up with a way to adapt the motor car to a winter made for sleighs.

Virgil White, a Ford dealer in Ossipee, NH, came up with a way to adapt the automobile to the winter in the snowier regions of the country. White took a Model T, replaced the front wheels with skis and installed caterpillar type wheels in the back. He patented his invention in 1917 as the “snowmobile”. By 1922, White was selling parts to convert a Model T into a “snowmobile” for $400. You could also buy a Model T wholly transformed into a snowmobile for $750. A bit pricey considering in 1922 you could buy a regular Model T Touring Car for $348.00.

By 1925, White was turning out about 3,000 units annually. A minuscule number compared to the roughly 13 million Fords that had been sold by then. There were other “snowmobile” manufacturers, but did the vast number of early automobile owners either put their cars up when the roads were impassable and walk, or hitch up old Dobbin once again, or did they live large and take to the nation’s highways and by-ways in their intrepid motorcars? The drivers were certainly intrepid to drive in the winter, as in 1919, 90% of the automobiles in the USA were open cars.1¹

The snowmobile was popular with mail carriers, firefighters, doctors and undertakers, and people who had to get around regardless of the road conditions. The “snowmobile” was popular for a time and one was even used by Donald MacMillan when exploring the Arctic in 1927. But its days were numbered. By 1929, the automobile had conquered the horse and sleigh, as governments began plowing rather than rolling roads, so that automobiles could course over cleared roads rather than the ice pack. Virgil White’s factory in West Ossipee, NH closed in 1929, though his incarnation lives on in the myriad of recreational “snowmobile” which are made by several companies today for off-roading and trail riding. In Townsend, the town meeting voted in 1932, to “keep the roads open for automobiles during the winters of 1932 and 1933 when possible to do so”. The budget provided approximately $1,679.00 for snow “removal” including $85 for repairs to the “plough”. Evidently, the Town was no longer “rolling” the snow but “ploughing” it.

There are still Model T snowmobile enthusiasts around. The Yankee IngenuiT’s is a Model T and early automobile club now based in Townsend and formed in 1982.² Two of the original founders of the club were Lenny and Priscilla Smith. Lenny worked on scores of Model T and Model A Fords over the years. Lenny also was instrumental in forming the Model T Snowmobile Club. During the 1990’s and early 2000’s, several snowmobile meets were held in Townsend, usually at the King Farm off of Scales Lane.

At the meets, people could watch the snowmobiles run about the farm and go for rides and there was always a smorgasbord of food. Lenny and Priscilla had a unique Model T snowmobile which had been used for delivering mail. It
looked like nothing so much as an outhouse on skis. Lenny and Priscilla donated the snowmobile to the Model T Ford Museum in Richmond, Indiana in 2013. In the course of transferring the vehicle, pictures were taken which, when exposed, seemed to show a paranormal presence.

1. A word about open cars vs. “convertibles”. Frequently people will see an old Model T touring car or runabout and call it a “convertible”. Touring cars or runabouts were in fact “open” cars. In contrast, in the 20’s, more auto makers began making coupes or sedans, which were “closed” cars. Closed cars had sides and were fitted with windows which rolled or could be pulled up to “close” the car from the elements. While you could get “side curtains” for your touring car or runabout, these curtains deflected some of the breeze, and rain or snow, but not much. Eventually, auto designers came up with the idea of a closed car, where the top could be taken down, converting it into an open car, hence the “convertible”. Also, early Fords and most early cars also didn’t have heaters. Even when the “New Ford”, the Model A came out in 1927, the cars didn’t come with heaters, though a “manifold” heater could be obtained as an after-market accessory. ↩︎
2. The Yankee Ingenui’T’s Model T and Antique Car Club membership is open to anyone interested in the Model T. If you or someone you know is interested in these veteran cars, feel free to call John Barrett at 978-821-3323 for more information. ↩︎