History of the Snowmobile: Lombard Log Hauler and Model T Snowmobile

In part one of the History of the Snowmobile: The Lombard Log Hauler and Model T Snowmobile, we examine two unique machines that lend insight to the evolution of snow travel. 

The early history of the snowmobile is not very clear. There is a lot of speculation by snowmobile enthusiasts as to who built the first snowmobile and when that occurred. The most significant problem is the lack of documentation by the people who made some of the earliest attempts at building one.

History of the Snowmobile

The snowmobile was originally built to be an alternative form of transportation during the winter months in the northern United States and Canada. Snowmobiles were first used by doctors to make house calls, and by postal carriers to deliver mail when the roads were covered with snow. The snowmobile was used primarily as a utility vehicle during the early years of its production.

Throughout the history of the snowmobile many changes and improvements have been made, transforming it from a utility vehicle into a recreational vehicle that can be enjoyed by the whole family.

The early history of the snowmobile is not very clear. There is a lot of speculation by snowmobile enthusiasts as to who built the first snowmobile and when that occurred. The most significant problem is the lack of documentation by the people who made some of the earliest attempts at building one.

Historic Lombard Log Hauler

Here in Northeast, the earliest known success story was that of the Lombard Steam-Powered Log Hauler that was built around 1902. This machine was more like a train locomotive than a snowmobile. The machine, built by Alvin Lobard, had two large steel tracks mounted on the rear, to drive it, and a pair of skis in front to steer it. 

The log hauler was used by the Brace Paper Company for winter logging operations in the early 1900s. It is said that when one of these log haulers got stuck or broke down out in the woods, it was abandoned. The machine was too large and heavy to retrieve with the equipment that was available at the time. 

Timberland Machines of Lancaster, New Hampshire, recovered one a Lombard Log Hauler from Eagle Lake, Maine. After the company restored the machine, it was donated to the New Hampshire Snowmobile Museum. This Lombard Log Hauler is now on display at the NH museum in Allenstown, NH. 

Model T Snowmobile History

In 1913 Virgil D. White built what is considered by many snowmobile enthusiasts to be the first true snowmobile. White, a Ford Automobile Dealer in West Ossipee, NH, invented a snowmobile conversion kit for the Model T. The kit consisted of a replacement rear drive axle with track assemblies mounted in place of the rear wheels and a pair of large wooden skis on a metal framework that mounted on the front spindles in place of the front wheels.

Virgil White Copyrights Snowmobile

White was granted a patent for his snowmobile conversion kit in 1917. White also coined and copyrighted the term “Snowmobile” to describe his invention.

Model T Snowmobile Conversion Kits

Starting in 1919, the newly formed Snowmobile Company of West Ossipee, NH, owned by Virgil White, started building Model T Snowmobiles. The company built Model T snowmobiles for approximately eight years before converting to the new Model A Ford based snowmobiles for the next two years. The company also sold snowmobile conversion kits exclusively through Ford automobile dealers. The Snowmobile Company built and sold over 25,000 units before closing their doors in 1929.

Early Snowmobiles Essential Winter Transportation

The Model T snowmobile, and later the Model A snowmobile became an essential mode of transportation for many people during the winter months. Fire departments, doctors, utility companies, lumber companies, milkmen, and many others came to depend on the Model T Snowmobile to get the job done. The history of the snowmobile must always include the Lombard Log Hauler and Model T Snowmobile.