This day in car history: American journalist travels the world in 72 days
- - This day in car history: American journalist travels the world in 72 days
Nourhan SandoukJanuary 25, 2026 at 6:56 AM
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In 1889, a journalist named Nellie Bly, inspired by Jules Verne’s popular novel Around the World in Eighty, decided to turn fiction into reality.
Bly proposed a journey to her editors at the New York World to beat the record of the fictional hero Phileas Fogg. While her editors were skeptical, arguing that a woman would need a male protector and too much luggage, Bly replied, “Very well. Start the man and I’ll start the same day for some other newspaper and beat him.”
On November 14, 1889, Bly started her journey from New Jersey on the steamship Augusta Victoria. carrying only one small satchel, just seven inches high and 16 inches wide. Inside, she packed the essentials, with writing tools, a flask, a dressing gown, and a single jar of cold cream. She wore a sturdy blue broadcloth dress and a plaid coat, ready for any climate.
As Bly headed east toward London, she was unaware that she had a competitor. Elizabeth Bisland, an editor at Cosmopolitan magazine, had been sent in the opposite direction, west, on the very same day. Bisland had been given only six hours’ notice to prepare.
Bly’s journey took her through England, France, Italy, Egypt, and beyond. In France, she even took a side trip to visit Jules Verne himself. He told her, “If you do it in seventy-nine days, I shall applaud with both hands.” From there, she traveled by train and steamship, and when she reached Hong Kong on Christmas Day, she learned of Bisland’s existence and realized she was in a literal race.
Despite being delayed by the weather in the Pacific, Bly remained determined. When she finally arrived in San Francisco, the New York World chartered a special train to speed her across the United States.
On January 25, 1890, Nellie Bly arrived back in New Jersey. Her final time was 72 days, six hours, 11 minutes, and 14 seconds, beating Fogg’s fictional record by eight days and her own goal of 75 days. Elizabeth Bisland arrived four and a half days later, having been slowed down by a rough crossing on the Atlantic.
Nellie Bly’s victory made her a celebrity. Though her record was broken by others in the following years, her journey remains a landmark in history. As Bly said upon her return, she didn’t just want to celebrate the record, she was simply happy to be home.
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Source: “AOL Entertainment”
