Saturday Speaker Series

Winton is a name synonymous with the first transcontinental road trip by an automobile. That journey was undertaken by a Dr. Horatio Nelson Jackson way back in 1903, on a wager with friends at the University Club in San Francisco. Spoiler alert: He made his way across the country, won the bet, and forever changed our ideas about traveling by automobile over long distances. 

But did you know that Alexander Winton, the founder of the Winton Motor Carriage Company, was a prolific inventor and brilliant engineer whose creations read like a list of firsts in transportation? First gasoline automobile sold, first straight-eight engine, first semi-truck...the list goes on. 

On display in the reading room, an exhibit that explores the famous road trip, yes, but also Winton as a car manufacturer, and especially, Winton as one of our very own automobile exhibits. The 1906 Winton Model K is a favorite of our founders and a favorite among visitors, for good reason. See it now, featured prominently in the museum. Peek inside at the sumptuous upholstery, walk around it, explore this fabulous car from every angle.