The History of the RV Industry: From Homemade Campers to the Big Four

Ever walked through an RV dealership and wondered where all these brands actually come from? Grand Design, Jayco, Keystone, Coachmen, Forest River, Heartland, Airstream — it looks like fierce competition, but it's a lot like the cereal aisle: most of it traces back to just a few corporations. In this episode, David walks through more than a hundred years of RV history — from wooden campers bolted onto Model Ts, through the post-war boom, to how Elkhart, Indiana became the "RV Capital of the World," and how four companies ended up building most of the RVs sold in North America. Independent, unsponsored, owner-operated — never paid by a manufacturer. Good luck out there.