This Day in History
This Day in History (2000): Rugged piece of company's heritage goes on display
The Aramco Power Wagon carried geologists and drillers across the desert during the company's early days.
From the March 8, 2000, edition of The Arabian Sun
A sparkling nugget of Saudi Aramco history is parked in front of the Community Heritage Gallery. It's really worth checking out -- after all, it's not every day that you get to see a bright red 1952 Dodge Power Wagon.
The restored, fully functional vehicle was donated to the gallery last fall by Distribution Operations.
The Power Wagon -- often called the classic four-wheel-drive truck -- once served as the lightweight workhorse of the company. It safely carried geologists and drillers along desert tracks and over roadless territory, for example.
The Transportation Unit of the Riyadh Administrative Service Department refurbished the truck.
"I first saw the vehicle while on an inspection tour in Riyadh. Its restoration was very impressive," said Khalid A. Al-Nafisee, vice president, Distribution Operations. "Since it was one of three that the unit had restored, I thought it would be nice to put one of them in a high-profile location where more employees could see it."
The truck was the type used in the 1950s by the Land Transportation Department to lead convoys into the Rub' al-Khali and along Tapline, said Abdel Monem S. Al-Maghlouth, supervisor, Riyadh Transportation Services.
Caption for top photo: Abdel Monem S. Al-Maghlouth, right, hands the keys to the Dodge Power Wagon to Suliman A. Al-Rasheed, manager, Central Community and Office Services Department, in front of the Community Heritage College.
Also on this date
2017 — The Azure Window, a natural arch on the Maltese island of Gozo, collapses in stormy weather
2014 — In one of aviation's greatest mysteries, Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 disappears en route from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing. The fate of the flight remains unknown.
2004 — A new constitution is signed by Iraq's Governing council
1979 — Images taken by Voyager I prove the existence of volcanoes on Io, a moon of Jupiter
1950 — The iconic Volkswagen Type 2 "Bus" begins production
1936 — Daytona Beach and Road Course holds its first oval stock car race
1924 — A mine disaster kills 172 coal miners near Castle Gate, Utah
1917 — The U.S. Senate votes to limit filibusters by adopting the cloture rule
1910— French aviator Raymonde de LaRoche becomes the first woman to receive a pilot's license
1844 — The Althing, the parliament of Iceland, was reopened after 45 years
1775 — An anonymous writer, believed by some to be Thomas Paine, publishes "African Slavery in America," the first article in the Colonies calling for the emancipation of slaves and the abolition of slavery
1702 - Queen Anne, the younger sister of Mary II, becomes Queen regnant of England, Scotland, and Ireland
1010 — Ferdowsi completes his epic poem Shahnameh
