The First License Plate Ever Was Spotted on 195 East in Dartmouth

There I was, strolling down the highway when I noticed the most interesting license plate pass by: license plate No. 1.

I've heard stories of this plate being seen in Westport and even rumors of exactly where the current owners of this license plate reside. Either way, I can check this off my list of things that make you say "Hmm, that's pretty neat." Now that I've seen it in real life, I had to find out the story behind the plate, where it's been, and of course, what it's valued at.

First of all, just to clear things up, this isn't the first plate handed out. I'm referring to the actual registration number. The license plate itself is up to date and obviously not the same one that was first given to Brookline's Frederick Tudor in 1903.

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The Massachusetts RMV issued the plate to Tudor back on September 1, 1903. Since he was the nephew of Boston Symphony Orchestra founder Henry Lee Higginson, he had the inside hookup that got him the very first plate. Long story short, Higginson was fed up with people speeding past his summer house and petitioned to start having all vehicles registered. Spoiler alert: he succeeded, and before New Year's Eve in 1903, more than 3,000 vehicles were registered and license plate production took off. The very first plate is still kept safe with the Tudor estate.

Whoever was behind the wheel of the vehicle that passed me was most likely a descendant of Tudor and seeing the plate was pretty neat, to say the least. Keep your eyes peeled if you're ever in the Westport-Dartmouth area. You just might run into Numero Uno.