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SUNNY Temp: 79 °F Wind: SE at 5 mph Friday, August 1, 2003 SECTIONS Home Page Local News Sports Business Obituaries Life Opinion - Politics AP News Weather Classified Archives Site Map EXTRA HomeLife Magazine W3 Magazine Jobs @ Mail Tribune Tempo A & E Oregon CarZone Wellness Connection Real Estate Newspaper in Education Prime Times Outdoor Journal Personals Movie Times TV Times E The People CLASSIFIEDS Find a Car Find a Home Find a Job Find Everything E SOUTHERN OREGON Automotive Communities Entertainment Publications Recreation Calendar ABOUT US FAQ What's New Advertise Home Delivery Classified Ad Contact Us Media Kit Email Story to a Friend July 19, 2003 Since You Asked Dashboards date backto carriages Did you ever think of the word "dashboard"? Webster says it’s a panel for instruments in cars, trucks, planes and boats. But surreys and buggies had a dashboard long before there were instruments on them. Where did this crazy word come from? — Neill S., Medford. You’re right about the word coming long before cars, Neill. We’ve found references going as far back as 1846 (see www.takeourword.com ). The dashboards in buggies prevented rocks and mud from "dashing" riders, or striking them violently. When the horseless carriage came along, early ones were little more than motorized carriages with tiny engines beneath or behind passengers. As cars quickly evolved, manufacturers soon found that the dashboard was the logical place to mount instruments as they were introduced, as on the first car successfully mass-produced, R.E. Olds’ "curved dash" Oldsmobile. Advertisement More controls and gauges soon settled into their positions. A century later, the only remnant of the original protective board is the instrument panel. Send questions to "Since You Asked," Mail Tribune Newsroom, P.O. Box 1108, Medford, OR 97501; by fax to 541-776-4376; or by e-mail to [email protected] . We’re sorry, but the volume of questions received prevents us from answering all of them. Printer Friendly Version Email Story to a Friend Subscribe Archive: Click to Search Mail Tribune Home Local News | Sports | Business | Obituaries | Life Opinion - Politics | AP News | Archives | Site Map E Southern Oregon | Classified Copyright © 1997-2003 Mail Tribune. All rights reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms & Conditions Website Feedback A D V E R T I S E R S SPECIAL SECTIONS Rogue Valley Auto Finder Rogue Valley Job Finder --> Rogue Valley Home Finder Joy Magazine Homelife Magazine Tempo Real Estate Showcase Food for Thought Hike of the Week Wellness Connection Outdoor Journal Moving to Southern Oregon? Volunteer Openings Prime Times