Class, Community, and Commute: Representations of Private and Public Travel in the Late 19th and 20th Centuries
Javier (Javy) I. Baluyut '26, Mellon Intern
Published by the Hood Museum of Art, Dartmouth, 2026, 4 pages
How do you get to work? Travel is a ubiquitous human experience, with the modern age broadening the scope of available transportation to a range and efficiency inconceivable less than a century ago. American travel culture has likewise evolved to serve the needs of its modern population, supporting a vast nest of public roads and highways at odds with a sparse passenger railway and underdeveloped public transportation networks. In what ways does the modern system of travel reflect American class differences, administrative interests, and the pursuit of status and freedom? How did we arrive at this modern culture of travel? The exhibition Class, Community, and Commute explores depictions of travel in the late 19th and 20th centuries through the lens of American culture and class.