San Bernardino County history: The first vehicle in the county

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A vintage car is parked outdoors and surrounded by trees and several individuals. — *A Haynes-Apperson automobile advertisement.*

Although the automobile was first invented and developed in Germany and France in the late 1800s, the United States quickly became a leader in the automotive industry. Early American automobile manufacturing included hundreds of competing companies. In 1908, there were 253 active automobile manufacturers in the United States, but by 1929 only 44 remained. Innovators such as Henry Ford helped transform the industry through mass production techniques that became the standard for automobile manufacturing. Ford, General Motors and Chrysler emerged as the “Big Three” American auto companies by the 1920s.

The development of automobiles also had a major impact on transportation and daily life in San Bernardino County. The first automobile in the county arrived in 1899 in Redlands, when resident Cass Gaylord purchased a Haynes-Apperson automobile for $1,200. Gaylord test drove the vehicle through Redlands terrain, where it could reach speeds of up to 15 miles per hour on flat roads, although steep roads remained difficult to navigate.

As automobiles became more common, local residents began testing the limits of early vehicle travel in the region’s rugged terrain. On June 30, 1900, one of the first endurance tests for automobiles was conducted on City Creek Road in the Crestline and Fredalba mountain areas. In 1904, E. C. Sterling of Redlands completed the first successful automobile trip through Cajon Pass when he drove his White Steam Car to his property in Victorville. The journey took more than three hours.

During the early 1900s, California laws allowed cities and counties to issue licenses for bicycles, tricycles, automobiles, horse carriages and other wheeled vehicles. By 1905, however, state officials recognized the need for a statewide vehicle registration system, and responsibility for registration was transferred to the California Secretary of State. At the county level, assessors appraised motor vehicles within their jurisdictions and determined their worth. Many of these assessment records are still preserved in the San Bernardino County Archives today.

Today, California continues to play an important role in automotive innovation through the testing and development of autonomous vehicles. A number of companies in the state have received permits to test self-driving vehicle technology, which shows how transportation in California has continued to evolve from the county’s earliest automobiles to modern autonomous systems.

The information in this historical feature was originally part of a video series produced by the Assessor-Recorder-County Clerk’s office.

Additional County Update News – May 14, 2026