By Gail Marsh
May 31, 2025
The Tin Can Tourists (TCT) club holds a special place in the history of RV culture. I was eager to learn more about it!
The formation of the Tin Can Tourists club in 1919 marked the beginning of a communal spirit among auto campers. What started as a way for folks to band together for safer, cleaner, and friendlier camping experiences quickly evolved into a movement that helped shape the modern RV culture.
Origin of America’s first RV club?
I love the name: Tin Can Tourists. RVers love a good road story, and the tale behind the name “Tin Can Tourists” is as quirky and charming as a vintage trailer itself.
Over a hundred years, details can blur into folklore, so I was determined to find out where the “tin can” in Tin Can Tourists originated.