Do you know where our big luxury car gets its name? I always thought it was an American Indian name. Since I spent more of my writing giving history than travel information, here is a little more history. French North America…
In 1701, a small party of men made their way upstream from Lake Erie. They stepped ashore on the west bank downstream from Lake Saint Clair. The officer commanding the detachment was a tall, handsome figure in thigh boots, dark blue frock and red sash, white lace jabot and cuffs – his blue cocked hat and sword at his side, symbols of leadership and authority from a noble family. It was decided to build a stockade and establish a trading post and a permanent settlement where they were. It was to be called Ville d’Etroit. The name of the man who just established the site of what was to ultimately be called Detroit was Le Sieur Antoine de la Mothe Cadillac (thanks to Wikipedia.)
Forward several years and stories of manufacturing and business that nearly failed, men who had great ideas and motivation built goods, particularly automobiles. In 1902, Mr. Dodge and Mr. Olds needed a name for their new company in Detroit. So what more appropriate title than the great French adventurer who had first arrived to this very spot some two hundred years before? It was dubbed the Cadillac. Cadillac became the first American automobile manufacturer to win the coveted Dewar Trophy for standardization of automobile parts.
By the way Cadillac is the name of a small town south east of Bordeaux!
One last thought from my holiday, I promise. I now have a Ph.D in shower fixtures!
Each hotel had a different system of knobs, hoses, top and side sprays, moveable and fixed, many or single faucets! Sometimes I would spend a long time trying to figure it all out. I would freeze or get scolded! When I got home I realize I had 1920 plumbing with four faucets, two hot and cold for the tub and two for the shower. How simple.
The adventure in travel can be a lot of things, including the bathrooms!
AlwaysHarriet 