Curtis Trailer Company
Alexander. R. Curtis, no relation to the famous Glenn Curtiss and the Adams Bungalo, filed for a patent for his trailer on July 11, 1919 and was granted US Patent 1,407,259 on February 21, 1922. Curis first manufactured his Outing Trailer in early 1916, placing him among the first of camping trailer manufacturers. According to an advertisement from 1916 the Curtis Trailer Company was located in Minneapolis, Minnesota. and had a display for their trailers at 1411 Hennepin Avenue.
There were several variations on the original trailer but they all followed a basic design. The trailer had a ridgid canopy and sides, sitting almost as tall as the autos of the time. The two side beds lifted up and formed part of the side walls while in transit, laying down when setting up the trailer for camp. When setup for camp canvas formed the bed roof and walls. This trailer was sort of a hybrid between the tent trailer of the time and an early travel trailer. Equipped for camping the trailer weighed 750 lbs. The price ranged from $47.50 to $137.50. That would be equivilent to $900.00 to $2,600.00 in 2007 dollars. The beds could seep 4 person but additional cots could be placed under the beds as the canvas bed covering went all the way to the ground.
By 1922 Curtis Trailer offered more traditional tent trailers along with their original camping trailer as well as a car camper that would be placed over a Ford Model T chasis provided by the owner. The camp trailer was selling for $250 or $3,050 in 2007 dollars.
Curtis Trailer Company was still listed in the 1929 Chilton Catalog and Directory at 413 West Broadway in Minneapolis. I have no information on when the Curtis Trailer Company was founded or when it stopped camping trailer manufacturing. Please contact me if you have any further information.