Transcontinental Auto Race

Dwight Huss, an automobile engineer from Detroit, made automotive history here June 20, 1905 when his car, “Old Scout,” became the first documented car to cross the Cascade Mountains from east to west. Huss was competing in America’s First Transcontinental Automobile Race against Percy McGargle, which departed New York City on May 8, 1905 in separate 7-Horsepower, 1904 Oldsmobile Curved-Dash Runabouts. “Old Scout” was also the fastest automobile to travel America from east to west, the first documented automobile to cross the Rockies from east to west, the first automobile on the Oregon Trail, and the first automobile to enter Portland on its own power from out-of-state on June 21, 1905 during opening day of the National Good Road Convention.

There is another marker at this same location:  Santiam Wagon Road