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Car Fans Will Love the Studebaker National Museum

Many car buffs are familiar with Studebaker’s iconic bullet-nose from the 1950s. The car manufacturer is also known for the Hawk, the Lark and the popular Avanti. If you happen to be passing through South Bend, Indiana, you won’t want to miss the Studebaker National Museum. Opened in 2005, the 55,000-square-foot facility was designed by James Childs Architects and features three levels of galleries and storage facilities. It’s a trip back in Studebaker history.

At Classic Kia, we love car museums and that's why we're sharing this blog with all of our customers from Port Arthur, TX.

After moving from Gettysburg, Pennsylvania to South Bend, the Studebaker brothers began manufacturing wagons in the 1850s. As the company grew, Studebaker began producing vehicles, which had a profound effect on history and were enjoyed by many generations.   

The Original Collection

There are 33 vehicles that make up the “Original Collection” of Studebakers at the museum. They were donated to the City of South Bend in 1966 by the Studebaker Corporation. Part of the collection includes the Presidential Carriages and the Studebaker family’s Conestoga Wagon.

The 1st Source Bank Presidential Carriage Collection

The Studebaker National Collection reportedly has the largest assortment of U.S. Presidential Carriages in the world. Part of the collection includes the Barouche used by President Abraham Lincoln when he was assassinated, President Benjamin Harrison’s Studebaker Brougham and President Ulysses Grant’s Brewster Landau.

The Military Collection

In 1857, the U.S. Government asked Studebaker to supply wagons for the “Mormon War,” which the car manufacturer continued to do through the Vietnam War. Later on, Kaiser-Jeep, which became AM General, took over the government contracts in 1964.

Painting the Picture: Studebaker Commercial Art

This exhibit, which runs until November 5, features oil paintings, pencil sketches and three-dimensional media from the museum’s advertising and design departments’ collection.

Twentieth-century artists, including Raymond James Stuart and Paul Randall, are showcased as well as work from Raymond Loewy Associates.

Interactive Exhibits

Children (and adults!) can play mechanic at the museum’s super service center. The pretend auto body shop allows visitors to rotate tires, try a muffler replacement and check the fluid and filter on a kid-sized vehicle. Attendees can also learn about the effect of human touch on car materials.

While you’re in South Bend, you’ll also have the have the opportunity to learn more about the people and community that were part of Studebaker history by taking a 90-minute drive through the Studebaker-Bendix Heritage Trail. It includes such locations such as the Studebaker Blacksmith Shop and Carriage Factory Site, the Studebaker Administration Building, and the Studebaker Factory Site.

Sources: Wikipedia, Yahoo and YouTube

 

 

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