Skip to Main Content
CA.gov

Official website of the State of California

1315 10th St, Sacramento, CA 95814     916-324-0333     Contact Us
CA State Capitol Museum logo
  • Visit
    • Hours
    • Directions
    • Accessibility
    • Entrance Guidelines
    • Amenities
    • Getting a Permit
  • Experiences
    • Tours
    • Exhibits
    • Events
  • Education
    • Activity Center
    • Junior Rangers
    • Teacher Resources
    • State Symbols
  • Engage
    • CA State Assembly
    • CA State Senate
    • Your Representative
    • State Government
    • Volunteer
  • About
    • History
    • Architecture
    • Capitol Park

Freedom of Movement

Freedom of Movement

“A farm on a bad road is a jail.”- Saturday Evening Post
  • Impact on Culture
    • Auto Vacation
    • Autopia – California’s Drive-in Culture
    • The Automobile As An Iconic Symbol
    • The Automobile As A Hobby
    • Freedom of Migration
    • Freedom of Movement
    • Freedom from Social Constraints
    • Popular Media And The Car
  • Impact on Industries
    • California Automobile Associations
    • The Automobile Maintenance Industry
    • Auto Insurance and Vehicle Safety
    • California Petroleum Industry And The Auto
    • Demise of Public Transit in California
    • California Auto Industry
  • Impact on Government
    • Early Role of Government
    • Good Roads
    • State and Federal Highways
    • The Lincoln Highway
    • Auto Trails to Superhighways
    • How The Automobile Shaped the Urban Environment
  • Exhibits
    • Introduction
    • Shaping the Culture
    • History and Impact
    • State Departments

Over a century ago, most people lived their entire lives in one place. Traveling great distances involved a long trip in either a horse drawn wagon or a lengthy journey on a railway.

By the 1920s, however, California was quickly becoming a motorized state. Thanks to Henry Ford’s moving assembly line technique, cars became affordable to the “average man.” Demand for good roads to drive cars on greatly increased.

No longer limited by the timetable of a bus, trolley, train, or the strength of a horse, individuals had more personal freedom to choose when and where to travel, and they chose California.

With its varied and beautiful scenery, as well as its temperate climate, California became a destination spot to both the traveler and the settler.

California State Capitol Museum – The Road Ahead Exhibit

This is a website specifically for the “The Road Ahead: The Automobile’s Impact on California” Exhibit. Dates: May 23, 2018 – April 29, 2019 at the California State Capitol Museum.

For Museum-related information such as contacts, hours and location: Visit capitolmuseum.ca.gov.

  • Back to Top
  • Accessibility
  • Conditions of Use
  • Privacy Policy
  • Search
  • Contact Us

Copyright © State of California