1805 - People of Philadelphia gathered on the banks of the Schuylkill R iver to watch an amazing vehicle called Orukter Amphibolos, or “amphibious digger,” by its maker, Oliver Evans. Dredging up debris and waste from around the city’s docks, the Orukter was fitted with a steam engine that propelled it on land as well as on water, with a paddle wheel attached to its stern. A curiosity, perhaps, but apparently the first self-propelled vehicle built in America. (Library of Congress)