About Website

I am a pop-up camper enthusiast myself. I own a 2006 Fleetwood Williamsburg with a few cool modifications. My two children get so excited at even the slightest hint that we might be taking the camper out for the weekend. The camper is loaded with every creature comfort imaginable and what Fleetwood missed, I've added. So my wife is happy too! I know these years will slip by fast and much to soon my children will be grown and off living their own lives. It doesn't take much money to own your own pop-up camper and money certainly can't buy the kind of happiness you achieve watching your children get so excited. And they sleep so well after a hard day's play outside. While growing up in the early 1970's our family owned a 1971 Bethany Citation 88. It was the same for us then.

With that said I am also a "history freak". I have pursued many hobbies and interest since my childhood and somehow each ties in with history. This website can trace its roots back to 2006 when my close friend, John Pingenot, decided to buy his family a pop-up camper. He chose the Fleetwood Niagara. After spending an afternoon lazing-around in his pop-up I decided my children were old enough and the time had come to commit to buying one for us. Now my interest turned to campers and naturally I started to wonder about the history of campers. I had seen some photos of campers from the early 1960's, they looked nothing like the camper I had growing up. So I knew the industry had experienced some kind of design change in the 1960's and curiosity would get the best of me if I didn't find out. After a bit of research I had my answer, but it was only a start. I wanted to know more. In mid-year 2007 I started collecting vintage camping magazines and industry periodicals and researching the internet for anything and everything historically related to pop-up campers. I found the internet a powerful tool, but the information was scattered incoherently everywhere in unrelated bits and pieces and only the most determined effort would piece it all together. With such a rich history the pop-up camper deserved better. So I went to work. After much research I established this website on January 19, 2009. Slowly throughout 2009 the website took shape.

This has been, by far, the largest research projected I've ever participated in and I am very proud of the results. Eventually when this website matures into what I envision for it I will take steps to ensure the long-term survivability of it. I enjoy receiving feedback so take some time and let me know if you like the website or find it useful. Enjoy the adventure!