"Traveler" is a synonym for "Arkansas Traveler" as a tomato variety.

In fact, "Arkansas Traveler" is more descriptive and the better name for the nation at large, despite having some non-Arkansans in well-meaning digital tizzies about it being released as "Traveler". A popular Tomato Variety database (based outside the United States) even comments, this: (LOL!!! It currently doesn't not even know if it is OP or hybrid ... it is OP BTW)

Bred by by(SIC) Joe McFerran of the University of Arkansas and released as Traveler in 1971. 'Arkansas' got tacked onto the name somewhere along the way. Several sites have now amended the name and just called it Traveler.

Regarding the "Arkansas Traveler" tomato variety the variety is claimed to have originated at the University of Arkansas where it was called "Traveler" in its first embodiment, which was actually released in 1970.

The fact that "Traveler" is popularly known as the "Arkansas Traveler" variety now and that many from out of Arkansas are confused is actually wonderfully perfect. Where is Ed Washbourne when you need him!

There is a failure to recognize that the UofA "Traveler" was released for Arkansans to grow in their State's tomato industry where Traveler implied "Arkansas" anyway. It name paid tribute to its historical namesake, the "Arkansas Traveler", a part of Arkansas folklore based on Col. Sandy Faulkner, the *authentic* "Arkansas Traveler" who fiddled a witty ditty he wrote which became deeply engrained into the mid-19th century Arkansan consciousness.

The breeder, the respectable recently deceased Joe McFerran, also named it partly for the University's newspaper, informally known to the student body as "The Traveler" to pay homage to the 150 year old Americana � and the official name of the newspaper is of course "The Arkansas Traveler".

People who seek to impose their "approved" name for the variety for the most part are not sensitive to this part of Arkansas history and folklore and probably suffer from database blues sitting in far away states or countries, where they have a need to place the name they think is right, when historically the variety morphed for reasons they either are unaware about or prefer not to support for whatever reason.

However, it may not be clear whether the current commercial varieties have the original genetics of Traveler, an improved renamed version in 1976 or a further improved version including further Fusarium resistence as well as better humidity tolerance, and further crack resistance. Since the seeds being sold today commercially are not the original version "Traveler" and since the "Traveler 76" name never stuck, and was more a moving target, what we have left is a derivative which popularly became known as "Arkansas Traveler" for all the above reasons.

There is speculation that it contains some genetics from Ozark heirlooms, however evidence seems to point to it being repeatedly selected for disease resistance from a Louisiana cultivar crossed with a USDA stock to confer disease resistance, plus various amounts of hillbilly stock added along the way, possibly in an effort to make less cracking and better shipping. It never was good enough, though, and tasted too good, so, it was dropped as a production shipping variety with time. Perhaps digdirt knows or would be interested to find out more about the genetics of this historical Arkansan tomato and share it with us.

Given the history of this tomato, unless someone gives you seed they got labeled directly traceable to 1970-1, the best bet is to consider it "Arkansas Traveler" to reflect the evolution of the variety which. Websites calling it "Traveler" when it at least is '76 are misrepresenting a variety name better expressed by "Arkansas Traveler" and in the process losing the story of the naming of this OP variety important to Arkansas and its folklore. Just ask the girls at the Traveler who considered it was named after them (Meet Martha, Beverly, Sheila, and Connie L to R):

Wow! Wat a pretty group! Has anyone bred the Arkansas Time Traveler yet?
PC