How did U-Haul move America?
Eyewitness accounts detail the company’s first 25 years and the creation of the do-it-yourself moving industry “A Noble Function” is a heartfelt and nostalgic look into one of America’s most celebrated and nation-changing companies – U-Haul. Prior to U-Haul, moving across the country was an option available only to those who could afford moving services … or fathers set out ahead of the family. This was where Sam and Anna Mary Shoen found themselves: trying to rent a trailer in San Diego to get back to Portland with their new family. They couldn’t find one, but on the drive back to Portland they came up with the idea for U-Haul. “A Noble Function” is the product of more than a year of research and more than 30 interviews conducted with key people who knew Sam and Anna Mary or who were innovators in the industry. The book focuses on the how and why of the companys meteoric rise through the 50s and 60s, and how U-Haul became the leader in the do-it-yourself moving industry. And remarkabl
