The Steam Man of 1868 was a human-like robot that could pull a cart. The Steam Man was created by Zadoc P. Dedrick as a way to create a horseless carraige. The steam-powered robot was dressed in clothes and designed to look as human as possible so that it wouldn't frighten any horses who passed by. Although the final whereabouts of the Steam Man are unknown, "Eyewitnesses claim that it really functioned, and on Jan. 23, 1868, it marched around Military Park into a beer garden where it was put on display, at 25 cents per head, while it went through its paces."
We'll never know for sure if the steam man really worked as well as people claimed it did, but it did inspire a science fiction story called "The Steam Man of the Prairies" by Edward Sylvester Ellis, along with many others.
From instagram:
"An 1868 photograph of Zadoc P. Dedrick's "steam man," an early human-like robot designed to pull a cart. Dedrick patented his invention – a proto-robot in many ways – in 1868. The Steam Man was attached to a carriage and could be steered by the operator from behind; the articulated legs were powered by a boiler system mounted to the back of the figure and were used to power the machine. The Newark Advertiser reported on the invention on January 23, 1868: "In order to prevent the "giant" from frightening horses by its wonderful appearance Mr. Dedrick intends to clothe it and give it as nearly as possible a likeness to the rest of humanity. The boiler, and such parts as are necessarily heated, will be encased in felt and woolen undergarments. Pantaloons, coat and vest, of the latest styles, are provided. Whenever the fire needs coaling, which is every two or three hours, the driver stops the machine, descends from his seat, unbuttons "Daniel's" vest, opens a door, shovels in the fuel, buttons up the vest and drives on."
