05/14/2026
Valley Rewind: This ca. 1933 photograph features 4 men standing in front of a 1933 Graham Blue Streak during the “Graham Safety Tour.” In March 1933, Robert C. Graham, executive vice-president of Graham-Paige Motors Corp. of Detroit, and “Cannonball” Baker, famous cross-country driver, arrived in Asheville, NC during their “Graham Safety Tour.” The Graham Safety Tour was a cross-county campaign designed to teach the public the “do’s and don’ts” of motoring safety, as well as highlight the new safety features of Graham automobiles. In the March 22, 1933, edition of the Charlotte Observer, Mr. Graham explained the importance of this campaign: “The manufacturer can place all the safety devices on an automobile that can be turned out by inventive brains, but the public must help. Drivers must learn that they have a real responsibility when they take the wheel of a car.” A few months later, in May 1933, “Cannonball” Baker returned to Asheville to reclaim his record for fastest round trip of Mt. Mitchell from Ab Jenkins, who surpassed Baker’s previous time in 1930. Beginning at 9:35 am on May 4, 1933, Baker drove a stock model Graham Eight and completed the 43.6-mile trip in 84 minutes and 48 seconds, shaving 4 minutes and 18 seconds off Jenkins’ time (Asheville Times, May 5, 1933). Although averaging 31 mph, at times, Baker reached speeds of up to 60 mph.
