Reliart

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The Reliart Trailer Manufacturing Company was founded in 1949 with manufacturing facilities in Gowen, Michigan. The company is best known for its catchy phrase "Reliart is Trailer spelled backwards". Details of the early years remain elusive but Reliart did manufacture and sell a typical folding camping trailer from the time period. In 1956 the trailer could be purchased for $650 along with extras such as two mattresses, one stove and light and one table for an additional $101. Operations remained relatively small and sales local.

In 1959 Reliart introduced a totally new trailer design where the beds flipped open to the front and back of the trailer resulting in a much larger living area. No other tent trailer from the 1950s, or before, has been identified featuring the longer travel trailer size box and beds that flipped open to the front and back of the trailer. Even the Ranger Camping Trailer included only one bed that slid out the back side much like a dresser drawer. Reliart Trailer Company holds the claim as the original pioneer of this design. No patents have been found to support this claim, more research will be required here.

In 1961 the owner and president of Reliart, Don VanAllen, moved the trailer manufacturing operations from Gowen to Stanton. A total of 211 trailer units were manufactured that year. Demand for the trailer increased as camping became more popular in America. By the summer of 1962 over 600 orders had already been placed. The new facilities would allow output to be 800 units per year. By 1964 the model lineup featured three units, the Space Master, Space Explorer and Space Voyager. The trailer's body was altered in 1965 from a simple rectangular shape to an arrow shape. No doubt this design change was intended to resemble that of a space ship. Reliart introduced it's first hard-top camping trailer in 1966, the Space Commander which featured the easy setup snap-in-place roof.

By the mid 1960s the camping trailer industry was becomming saturated with manufacturers and design innovation was on an accelerated footing, reaching its apex by 1971. After 1966 no advertising has been found, no reference to sales, etc. I suspect the company ceased manufacturing operations after 1966, most likely the result of the industry conditions and excessive competition. Never-the-less the Reliart Trailer holds a prominent place in the history of the pop-up camper. Front and back opening beds, mostly slide-out now, are featured almost exclusively on every camping trailer made still to-date.