Halloween woke early to a very rainy day. After a fairly decent night's sleep, I got up early and watched TV while very slowly getting ready. I wanted to go to Historic Auto Attractions and they did not open until 10:00. I was also hoping that maybe the bulk of the rain would pass before I had to leave; it did not.
The hotel breakfast was at the same restaurant as dinner the night before. While the choices for the free breakfast were limited, it was still good for an inexpensive hotel breakfast.
Shortly before 10:00, I checked out and headed a few miles south to the museum. I got there a couple minutes before it opened, but there was a covered awning to stand under while I removed my already very wet motorcycle gloves and helmet. More people showed up while I was there, but as I got there right at opening, I had the museum to myself for most of my time there.
The museum is in an industrial park and looks more like a warehouse than anything else. What is inside is truly eclectic and fascinating. Below are just a few of the many oddities and attractions I found noteworthy:
A Back to the Future car that was used for promos at theatres, etc.
Bonnie and Clyde's stuff including Bonnie's actual revolver (which was given to a relative of hers by the police - this seems preposterous by today's standards) and Clyde's hat worn at the scene of his death with a bullet hole in it.
Bridgestone "Rockford" Tora motorcycle still in its original shipping crate. These were made in Northern Illinois, but this came from Michigan.
Bicentennial car covered completely in coins. Why???
Colonel Sanders' open limo - I think it should be bright yellow or have a chicken on it somewhere.
John Dillinger's actual 1911 .45. Nice enough gun even without the historic gangster attached to it.
The gun that fired the fatal bullet into Dillinger. I guess this 1905 won the battle against the 1911 above.
GhostBusters Ectomobile, unsure how or if the was used in the movie.
A pair of Elvis' glasses which he destroyed in a fit of rage.
Eva Peron's Limo, don't cry for me Roscoe, Illinois.
A grizzly bear. There were a few neat exhibits of taxidermy, including a huge bull elephant.
Emperor Hirohito's Limo. I guess he didn't hate everything about the United States.
Hitler's Mercedes G4. The fact that they needed this sign in the area of the Axis WWII exhibit (in a museum) is a very sad commentary on political sensibilities.
Howard Hughes' Limo. I'm surprised the recluse didn't have very darkly tinted windows.
Whips used in Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom. Hey Short Round!
Not THE Kennedy convertible but a convertible that he did ride in.
A piece of the Grassy Knoll Fence. Conspiracy Theorists take note, the truth must lie in this fence somewhere!
The actual flag draped over Kennedy's coffin.
The car that was following Kennedy's convertible when he was shot. Maybe this is where Jackie was headed.
Manacle shackles worn by Booth conspirator after arrest and during trial.
A Naugahyde covered safari car. What the...
I can't say I'm much into the stock car parts of the museum, but I was glad someone rescued this REAL stock car - from when stock cars were stock and kept race ready in barns and garages.
Stalin's Limo, I guess he didn't hate everything about the United States either.
Notice the three inch thick glass in Stalin's limo. I guess he liked safety.
One of the Family Truckster's used form the movie Vacation. This was used for some shots in the movie, including a lot of scenes inside the car.
Since the Truckster was one of my personal favorites in the museum, another shot of it.
A mantle from the fireplace during the Truman era. Do you think he really had a picture of an atomic bomb explosion hung above his mantel?
The list of artifacts at the museum goes on and on. In addition to the cars and large pieces, all of the little nuggets were neat to be able to see. Who thought to save the shoes Jack Ruby was wearing when he shot Lee Harvey Oswald?
There is always a voice in the back of my head wondering if some of these items are fakes, sold by shysters to make a buck. But many of the items have letters explaining their history and even if a few fakes make it in, that makes the real ones that much more fascinating.
After the Historic Auto Attractions museum, I hit the very wet roads and headed up to Maria's. While it may have made her room mates a tad unhappy, they let me park the Triumph in the garage, before I peeled of wet motorcycle layers. I talked with Maria and Robin for a while. Maria and I took Olive to walk in a very large multi-use area. The rain had mostly stopped at this point, but it was still quite wet.
Take-out sushi from Fort Atkinson and stealing Trick-or-Treater's candy while watching back episodes of the TV show Fargo rounded out the night.
No comments:
Post a Comment