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U.S. Bureau of Public Roads, Department of Agriculture, Educational Film ServiceWheels of Progress (ca. 1927)

Reviews the history of transportation in the U.S. and promotes the economic and social benefits of more and better public roads..


This movie is part of the collection: Prelinger Archives

Producer: U.S. Bureau of Public Roads, Department of Agriculture, Educational Film Service
Sponsor: U.S. Bureau of Public Roads
Audio/Visual: Si, B&W
Keywords: Infrastructure: Roads and highways; Automobiles: History

Creative Commons license: Public Domain

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Reviewer: Spuzz - - September 11, 2005
Subject: All the latest driving rages for 1927!!
Rather odd little film here. I say that because it¡¯s just so weird watching a film all about the strides in transportation which was made in 1927. I mean what, the automobile was 20 years old if that? They first talked about the older days where people, heaven forbid, walked to work and lived close to their job! NOW, they live far away from their workplace and they can drive!! Nowadays it¡¯s the opposite isn¡¯t it? Yes, people the car was a great status symbol then, everyone wants one! Even the negroes and Indians! (yes, this is shown). Another interesting thing about this film is how already congested the roadways seemed to be back then, and they didn¡¯t have signal lights or anything, it was pretty much a no man¡¯s land (but that didn¡¯t prevent people jaywalking a storm though). Also shown are busses and trucks.All and all a pretty wild overview.

Reviewer: cashel - - November 28, 2003
Subject: living history
I viewed a DIVX copy of this silent b/w film and rate the picture quality as excellent .It consists of archival film and reenactments which I could not distinguish from the real thing.The film,s theme is people travelling ,in the years fom 1897 to 1927, when rhe film was made.. We see people walking and they are named as WAlKERS. Then there are people cycling ,but the joys are quickly glossed over..We are told that in the 1927 car we can take a PLEASANT 20 mile journey from city to country..Apart from its fascinating and unique images, this film can still provoke vigorous argument

Shotlist

A variety of wheeled vehicles are shown from 1897 on. Shows workers progressing from walking and bicycles to cars.

Recreated footage of great authenticity:
Opens in 1897, bicycles on street; horse and carriage with African-American driver. women ride bicycles in grove of flowering trees

Title cards;
workers with handlebar mustaches sit on barrels eating dinner
slums with laundry lines stretched across; housing directly off train tracks with laundry flying from fire escapes;
men in top hats off to work; rural horse and cart on dirt road; early horseless carriage driving and getting stuck in a rut; 1910 car;

1927 car; factory; street scenes; traffic; hitchhiker [longshot]; President Coolidge in a top hat [at 01:09:57:11] (with Mrs. Coolidge and another man) step into a convertible car outside the White House.

African-American family starting car with crank and driving off; early traffic jam; early street light repair from the a high platform on the back of a truck; truck barreling past horse and buggy; early fire engines; early street cleaning truck spewing water; grocery store;

World War I soldiers disembarking truck; World War II soldiers in truck convoy; early gas stations; early milk tanker trucks; early snow plows; early buses; horses and trucks travelling along the same busy city streets; early passenger buses; bus terminal; Excellent period bus interior; Double-decker New York City Bus marked 5th Avenue and 57th Street to Washington Square;