On June 9th, 1909 twenty-one year old Alice Ramsey set out on the journey of lifetime. Accompanied by three female companions, they drove from 1930 Broadway in New York City on an epic transcontinental journey. Forty-one days later Alice would become the first woman to drive across America.

Eleven years after Alice’s journey women would earn the right to vote. It would be decades before the first woman would become a political voice and leader in the U.S. Congress. Alice’s accomplishment was a building block moment in women’s history, and in 1962 Alice was named “Woman Motorist of the Century” by The Automobile Hall of Fame.

Meanwhile, the automobile was on its way to changing the planet.

In 2005, Dr. Richard Anderson, a Pacific Northwest antique car aficionado, and his 34-year old daughter Emily, began preparations to rebuild a 1909 Maxwell DA. Their goal: to complete the car for June 9th, 2009 the 100-year anniversary of Alice’s landmark drive.

The car is six months from being drive-able, a year from being beautiful and the plan is in motion. Emily will depart from New York on the same day, in the same car and over the same route as Alice exaclty100 years later. She is driving all the way to San Francisco to pay her respects to 100-years of women’s accomplishments.

The Car
A restored 1909 Model DA Maxwell identical to the vehicle that Alice drove (pictures to come!).
The Beginning of the Journey
The journey begins exactly where Alice started at 1930 Broadway in New York City at the site of the old Maxwell Agency.

The Route
The driving route will be recreated as similarly as possible to the one Alice drove across the United States in 1909. The dates will also be as close as possible to recreate the adventure in every way possible 100 years later!

Journey’s End!
The final destination of the Centennial Celebration will be the St. James Hotel in San Francisco, California - exactly where the 1909 trip concluded.

The Fanfare!
Multiple celebrations & events are being planned across the country as the Centennial Tour travels through towns and historical landmarks.

Learn More….
To learn more about the many preparations being made for this historical trip, please be sure to explore this website. You may also contact the Alice Ramsey Centennial Committee directly at [email protected]