The Holiday House tops my ReCamp dream list. What’s not to love about this roomy, retro roadrocket? With its shiny siding, louvered windows, and gorgeous glass-front bay, it’s sure to get lots of looks from fellow camping enthusiasts.
I'll take one in pink...
and red.
In 1959, David Holmes, President of Harry and David Fruit of the Month Club, collaborated with Industrial Design Affiliates to design a luxury trailer for wealthy camper wannabes. The next year, Holmes hired his fruit packing employees to manufacture the trailers during the fruit basket slow season. As a result, his employees kept their jobs; he kept Harry and David’s skilled laborers. Everybody wins! (Maybe Holmes was a corporate social responsibility pioneer.)
The rarest model (only one is known to exist!) is the Model X, or Geographic. Although it was a luxury land liner, it’s a little too space-agey for my taste. I prefer the swanky lounge look of the other models (and all of their lovely windows!). Apparently, the public wasn’t ready for the Geographic either. Only five models were manufactured and just one was sold. It was restored in 2007, but what happened to the other four models is a mystery. For more photos and history of the Geographic, visit this site.
Holiday House Model X, 1960
Not surprisingly, there aren’t many of the other Holiday House models for sale (fewer than 200 were manufactured in 1960 and 1961). Maybe wealthy vacationers in 1960 weren’t keen on camping–even if it was in a luxury trailer. But a few have come up for auction lately. A 1961 Holiday House sold recently for $16,9000, and you can see more about it from Tin Can Tourists (as long as the ad is up anyway). What a happy little tiki trailer it will make someone.
Exterior of the Holiday House
Interior view of the bar in the bay window
Larry Hill and Sylvia Davids, owners of Starlite Classic Campground in Colorado, are expert camper revampers. Here’s a blog on the gorgeous work they did on the red Holiday House featured above.
I’ll close with this ad from the helpful folks at Holiday House. Happy trails.
Because every woman wants to cook and clean on her holidays!
I do like the Holiday House, but it’s a little too boxy to really blow my skirt up. I love the Model X. It’s too bad they’re so rare. 😦
I usually like the rounder models too, but that bay window really got me! Plus, I love the pink and aluminum. Wonder what happened to the other four Model Xes. They were probably sold for scrap 😦
(But wouldn’t it be cool if they were in someone’s grandma’s garage?)
If you’re on facebook, there’s a photo album of the Model X showing the exterior and interior. Hopefully this link will work. If not, it’s in the Holiday House Travel Trailer group.
http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.201164869908305.50306.201090136582445
Very cool! Thanks for the link. 🙂
Awesome! I’d purchase one if I had a truck tow it with. I find it more attractive than even the Airstream. Probably the best looking of the Holiday House trailers I’ve seen is the Geographic Model X.
I agree! The Holiday House is my favorite for sure.
And given its rarity, I’d be afraid to use it, out of fear of damaging it. Since only two are known to exist, parts would almost certainly be non-existent. That would certainly make it difficult when it comes time to service it.
I don’t know—if I were lucky enough to own one I’d use it! Good point about the parts. I’ll just have to take a regular Holiday House!