One-Tank Trip / Norwich
Car museum is a classic family attraction
NORWICH — Since my husband, Jim, is an antique car buff, I’ve been to a number of car museums in my day. One of the finest collections of antique automobiles that I’ve ever seen is the Northeast Classic Car Museum, located about a five-hour drive from Buffalo in Norwich.
One would expect a museum of this caliber to be in Detroit or some other city noted for car manufacturing, not in a tiny city (population 7,000) in Central New York. This museum is probably one of the best-kept secrets in New York State.
The museum features more than 100 cars, mainly of the pre- World War II vintage. It also has the largest collection of Franklin automobiles in the world. The Franklin was manufactured in Syracuse between 1902 and 1934. John Wilkinson, an engineer and bike shop owner, had created a horseless carriage in 1901. Herbert Franklin, who was in the metal die-casting business, saw the potential in these vehicles and formed a partnership with Wilkinson and several others. By 1902, 13 of the cars were manufactured.
What’s unique about the Franklin is that the car does not have a radiator. It has an air-cooled engine, which was common in aircraft engines, but unusual in automobile engineering. Instead of a radiator, a fan kept the engine cool. The company considered the air-cooled engine to be simpler and more reliable than water-cooled engines. Before antifreeze was developed, the air-cooled engines definitely had an advantage over water-cooled engines in colder weather.
The cars in the Northeast Classic Car Museum are primarily from the collections of three owners. The majority are owned by George E. Staley, who has been collecting antique cars since 1950. Born in 1918, Staley grew up on a dairy farm in nearby Lincklaen Center. He attended aviation school and became an aircraft engine mechanic during WWII. He was assigned to the 509th Bomber Group on Tinian Island, where he tuned the engine on the Enola Gay, the aircraft which dropped the first atomic bomb.
According to the signs at the museum, Staley is drawn to rare, one-of-a-kind vehicles. While he purchased his first antique automobile in the 1950s, he purchased his first Franklin in 1978 and has been adding to his collection of Franklins ever since.
Almost all of the cars in the museum are in running condition and most are in original condition, although some restoration work has been done. Other makes of cars on display include Lincoln, Studebaker, Cadillac, Willys-Knight, Cord, Packard, Duesenberg, Buffalomade Pierce-Arrow and Playboy. The cars with a Buffalo connection include a yellow 1936 Pierce-Arrow Country Club Roadster and a rare 1948 Playboy convertible with a retractable hardtop; only 97 of these cars were produced.
One of the museum’s exhibits features cars made in New York State. I was surprised to find out that more than 200 makes of cars were made in the state. While some were one-of-a- kind, others were produced by the thousands.
Other interesting vehicles in the museum’s ever-changing collection include a red 1937 Cord, said to be a favorite among museum visitors. It was one of the last Cords produced and its modern styling was considered ahead of its time. A green 1931 Franklin has a hood ornament shaped like an airplane, which reflects a Lindberg connection since Charles Lindbergh drove a Franklin. A 1929 Duesenberg Holbrook is one of only two model J Holbrook Allweather Cabriolets made and the only one still in existence. A changing exhibit, “The Nifty 50s,” which opened on May 17 and will run through the end of the year, focuses on the decade of the 1950s. The museum also has a display of vintage aircraft engines.
Ladies, if you’re not that interested in looking at cars, you may enjoy the exhibit of “Fashions,” presented by the Chenango County Historical Society. Clothing from the 1900s through 1950s is displayed throughout the car museum, alongside corresponding automobiles of the day. A brochure which describes each ensemble is available at the museum.
While all the cars in the museum are behind ropes and strictly hands-off, there is one vehicle in the museum’s lobby, a 1926 Ford Model T Roadster, which you can actually touch and even climb behind the wheel. My kids enjoyed taking turns “driving.” They were also fascinated with the player piano in the lobby. The museum shop has a large assortment of car-related books, along with the usual mugs, T-shirts and hats, as well as toy vehicles, carthemed jewelry and many other items.
We were on our way to another destination after visiting the museum, so we didn’t have time to check the other attractions in Norwich. Here are some other sites of interest you may want to visit while in Norwich.
The Chenango County Historical Society, just down the road from the car museum, has items pertaining to the history of Norwich and Chenango County. Across the street from the car museum, the Bullthistle Model Train Museum is open weekends only. Since Norwich Pharmaceuticals, which developed products like Norwich Aspirin and Pepto-Bismol, is one of the city’s major industries, you might want to check out the Norwich Pharmacal Museum on Eaton Avenue (open 1-4 p. m. Wednesdays).
Kay Zaia, director of the Northeast Classic Car Museum, also recommended some places to eat, shop and sleep. “On the park in the center of Norwich is Garf’s Deli, which has great sandwiches. Next door is the Parson’s Daughter, where you can buy delicious candy for dessert or a small antique or gift to take home as a souvenir.”
“If you just want to enjoy sitting in the park and relaxing, we have a street vendor with great hot dogs and speedies,” she added. Zaia also recommended Nina’s Pizzeria and Restaurant and Two Sister’s Restaurant.
She also has recommendations for overnight stays. “Located about three miles south of Norwich on Route 12 is Fred’s Inn; the rooms are excellent and for an evening meal, it can’t be beat. We also have a Super 8, located a half-mile north of Norwich on Route 12 and Howard Johnson’s in downtown Norwich.”
If you go
Northeast Classic Car Museum, 24 Rexford St. (Route 23) Norwich; (607) 334-AUTO
(2886); www.classiccarmuseum.org . Open daily 9 a. m.-5 p. m. (closed Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year’s Day). Admission: $9 adults, $4 kids age 6-18. Chenango County Historical Society, 45 Rexford St., Norwich; (607) 337-1845; www.chenango.history.museum . Open 9 a. m.-5 p. m. Monday through Friday. Bullthistle Model Train Museum, 33 Rexford St., Norwich; www.bmrs.org . Open 1-4 p. m. Saturday-Sunday. Fred’s Inn, 5149 State Highway 12, Norwich; (607) 334-9282; www.fredsinn.com . Super 8, 6067 St. Highway 12, Norwich; (607) 336-8880.
Howard Johnson, 75 N. Broad St., Norwich; (607) 334-2200.
Directions
From Buffalo: Take the New York State Thruway east to Syracuse, Exit 36 (I-81).
Take I-81 south, to just past Cortland. Get off at exit 10 (Route 41) and follow that road south to Route 26 north, followed by a right turn onto Route 23 east.
Follow Route 23 East to Norwich.
When you enter the city limits, Route 23 is Plymouth Street. Go straight on Plymouth Street to the four-way stop and then turn left onto Pleasant Street. Continue straight through one traffic light where Pleasant Street becomes Rexford Street. The museum is at the foot of the hill on the right.
