Before highway statutes were changed in the mid-1950s, it was illegal, in most states, to transport any mobile home wider than 8 feet. The industry sought to comply with the "no wider than 8 feet" directive. However, there was also an incentive to create larger and more spacious units. It was determined that the only option was to expand the mobile home up, not out.

In 1952, the split-level design, exemplified by the Ventoura Loft Liner seen below, made its debut. The main level bedroom area of these rigs had an extremely low ceiling (something like 6 feet). A 3 or 4 foot-high "loft," serving as a second -bedroom- level, was accessed by a set of stairs.

Above and below we see the Ventoura Loft Liner, one of the early split level house trailers. The low ceilings of loft-type bedrooms made such quarters feasible only for use by children. An adult would surely have gotten claustrophobia!

We have created a cut-away view of the split-level Loft Liner. Rigs such as this were made obsolete by the advent of the 12-wide, which debuted with the 1961 model year. 

Click on image for a larger view 

By the late 1950s, the Jet Age in America had morphed into the Space Age. Man was now sending rockets -and satellites- into the heavens. Architecture had become ultra-modern and futuristic as a reflection of the times. This new ethic was being expressed in a big way with the designs for exteriors of new mobile homes. At the same time, new and exciting things were happening inside... 

A space-age couple relax in the "center kitchen" of their house on wheels. It came equipped with the latest yellow-shade refrigerator, stove and double-bowl sink. Pastel appliances and bathroom fixtures debuted in the early 1950s and quickly became a sensation.

Photo from Mobile Home Manufacturers Association

Meanwhile, mobile home interior design was making great strides. Up to this time, a rear bedroom-front living room layout was the standard used for most rigs. Things began to change with the 1956 model year, when one of the first "front kitchen" house trailers was introduced.
Photo from Mobile Home Manufacturers Association

Another jovial couple entertain one another in the "Early American" living room of their new 8-wide rig. In this case, the living area is situated in the front of the trailer.
Photo from Mobile Home Manufacturers Association 

A Trailerite wife enjoys some quality time in her ultra-modern living room, which is in the center of the unit. By the late 1950s, over 4 million Americans were living in house trailers.
Photo from Trail R News magazine (October 1960)  

Newly-built rigs of the late 1950s featured several innovative design concepts, such as the aforementioned front kitchen. A unit might also come with new-type "jalousie" (roll out) windows. The late '50s brought longer models, which were now approaching 60 feet in length. Note: the 1959 cost of a house trailer fell between $3,000 (for an economy rig) and $15,000 (for a luxury model).

Mobile home exteriors of the late 1950s and early '60s were also futuristic in appearance.  Sweeping "sky-roofs" (also promoted as "raised roofs") brought in light and nighttime views of the stars and heavens. They were, in essence, the house trailer counterpart of the automobile tail fin. By the way, they did actually manufacture and sell pink mobile homes in those days. 

Speaking of 1959, we are posting Homes on The Move, a promotional film that shows several aspects of the mid-century Trailerite lifestyle in "real time." Please click on the play button below...

According to our vintage vignette, the mobile home "of today" goes far beyond being just affordable shelter for the millions of young Americans on the move.

By the mid-20th century, trailer manufacturing had been slowly morphing into two respective "travel trailer" and "mobile home" divisions. The split was made official in 1963. 

At the same time, the futuristic, space-age-style rigs of the late 1950s and early '60s were being superseded by ones built with a more boxy, house-shaped design. The "14-wide," an innovation that made the mobile home more spacious than ever, debuted in 1967. 

The Long & Short Of It: A Mobile Home Cavalcade, Part Two

Here we have a definitive example of a "space-age" mobile home. The exterior of the 1959 Atlas FORTY-TWO--TEN WIDE includes all the hallmarks of futuristic '50s design. 

Click on image for a larger view

The magnificent 1962 Kropf ELDORADO was one of the most futuristic house trailers ever built. This 10 foot wide -60 foot long- rig was also among the last of the great space age-style mobile homes.

Click on image for a larger view

As previously mentioned, the futuristic mobile home design of the late '50s was -by the early '60s- morphing into one with a boxy, house-type look. Among the first of this new generation of house-type rigs was the 1961 Marshfield TWELVEWIDE depicted here. It extended 50 feet from tail-end-to-tongue.

Click on image for a larger view

By the late '60s, the house-type model was firmly established as the mobile home exterior design standard. Above, we see the 1968 Trotwood 60' DELUXE SUBURBAN, which was a 12-wide. It defined a new genre with its squared exterior,  "house-type" wooden door and simulated window shutters.

Click on image for a larger view

The "double-wide" mobile home, first introduced in the early '60s, was also making inroads by late in the decade. A double-wide unit consisted of two 10 or 12-wide sections that were manufactured and transported individually.

As the diagram demonstrates, the "Double-Wide" mobile home consists of "A" and "B" units that are joined into a 20 or 24-wide dwelling at the home site.

The circa-1969 "single-wide" mobile home has a house type exterior door, with its second entrance being on the back side of the unit. Widths of 12 or 14 feet -and lengths of 65- provide more living space than ever before. Prices for newly-built rigs begin around $5,000 and end at $18,000.

As in the 1950s, the standard mobile home of the 1970s would have come fully-furnished. However, the quality of articles used had fallen drastically. Interiors were often done in gaudy "Mediterranean" decor and furnished with cheaply made accessories, such as this "Spanish" -style sofa. The only thing missing from such an interior decorating scheme might be a tacky "Velvet Elvis" painting.

The newly-built mobile home of the late 1960s and early '70s was a far cry from one manufactured in the 1950s. Obviously, trailers were now much longer and wider. The incentive to build larger rigs economically probably led to an overall decline in the quality of the finished product.

In order for manufacturers to keep selling new trailers, the purchase price needed to be kept as low as possible; this in an incredibly inflationary economy, where prices for nearly everything were soaring upward by the minute. 

Inevitably, lots of corners were cut. The tight-fitting, narrow-slot jalousie windows of the late 1950s had been replaced by large-pane crank-out models, which quickly lost tension and would not shut tightly. 

Precision-made -all-wood- cabinetry of bygone days was now typified by cabinets made of cheap plastic and pressed board. Poorly-fitting drawers might fall out when opened. Moreover, flimsy sliding closet doors (made of wood paneling) would never stay on track.

Quality-crafted mobile homes were still being manufactured, but these were also sold at a premium price. The lower-to-medium price mobile home of the early 1970s was often floored with low quality "shag" carpeting. Garish shades of red & black, orange or green were common. 

Quality issues and dubious features, such as cheap (and potentially dangerous) aluminum electrical wiring, caused the US Congress to pass stricter standards for construction in 1974. The National Mobile Home Construction & Safety Standards Act became law in June 1976. To get away from all of the negativity associated with house trailers or mobile homes in general, the product name was changed to "Manufactured Home."

As the mid-20th century faded into memory, and Americans became more status-conscious than ever, the concept of living in a lowly mobile was less desirable. 

In the New Millennium, keeping up with the Joneses required living well beyond one's means. This was done in a sprawling "McMansion," often with two or three times the floor space actually needed by a family.

A typical "McMansion" includes ornate -often gaudy- embellishments. It is cheaply constructed and places sheer size over quality. 

Photo from Wikipedia / John  Delano

By 1970, the terms "Trailerite" and "Tin Can Tourist" had become archaic. Likewise, the perception of trailer life, which had taken a beating during The Great Depression and made something of a positive resurgence between 1946 and 1966, was -once again- seen in a negative light.

Within a few years, mobile home living would be dubiously depicted in country & western songs or on over-the-top TV shows, such as Canada's "Trailer Park Boys." The term "Trailer Trash" had become part of the American vernacular.

The term "Trailer Trash" dates back to the early 1950s.

Through all the pitfalls, the essence of the mid-century Trailerite culture lived on. The "tiny house" movement began to gain impetus in the late 1990s. This promoted a 400-square-foot abode as a trendy and environmentally-friendly alternative to the financed-up-to-the ears, McMansion lifestyle. 

The tiny house takes minimalism to the max. Born out of economy and practicality, a typical tiny abode encompasses around 400 square feet and costs around 79,000 (2023) dollars. This price includes such options as a solar panel, instant propane water heater and hardwood flooring. 
Photo from Wikipedia / "Tammy"  

Another economical, New Millennium mode of living involves a large "Fifth Wheel" camper-type trailer, which becomes a year-round abode.

Such an RV would contain more than 400 square feet. It could include a large living room and combination washer-dryer. If bought used, a 4-year-old rig would sell for around 40,000 (2023) dollars. A brand new rig would set one back approximately 70,000 (2023) dollars.

The more spacious "manufactured home" of the 21st century provides 1,000 square feet of living area. Built by Champion Home Builders, of Topeka, Indiana, this 16' by 66' single-wide unit sells for around 120,000 (2023) dollars. It includes features now standard in the industry; horizontal vinyl exterior siding, triple-pane (house-type) windows and a peaked -and shingled- roof.   

SOURCES:

http://www.fontspace.com

"Mobile Home, The Trailer As America" / Parsons-Cooper-Hewitt HDDA theses / Lindsey Elaine Tyler / 2010
http://www.allmanufacturedhomes.com / Atlas Mobile Home Museum
http://www.coachbuilt.com
http://www.tincantourists.com
http://www.spartantrailer.com
"Marshfield Notes Reporter" / June 1955 / Volume One Number Three
http://business.highbeam.com / "Mobile Homes"
The St. Petersburg Evening Independent
The Milwaukee Sentinel
The Oxnard Press-Courier
The Beaver Times
The Palm Beach Post
The Cayuga Chief
http://mobilehomeliving.org
http://vintage-ads.livejournal.com
http://tinyhousegiantjourney.com
www.flickr.com (Tiki Lisa's Photostream)
www.flickr.com (SaltyCotton's Photostream)
https://archive.org (Internet Archive)
http://jimsuva.typepad.com

https://www.prefabreview.com

https://www.bestrv.com

FAIR USE OF "THE LONG, LONG TRAILER," TRAILERITE, MOBILE HOME & FURNITURE IMAGES:

The graphics and photographs from The Milwaukee Sentinel, Beaver County Times, St. Petersburg Evening Independent, Oxnard Post-Courier, MetroGoldwynMayer Studios and Mobile Home Manufacturer's Association illustrate key moments in mobile home history that are described in written copy. The images are not replaceable with free-use or public-domain images. The use of the images does not limit the copyright owners' rights to distribute them in any way. The images are being used for non-profit, informational purposes only and their use is not believed to detract from them in any way.