Museum celebrates Studebaker's long and diverse past
Studebaker was a unique company.
It became the world's largest manufacturer of wagons and buggies during the late 1880s. In 1902, the company manufactured its first car, which was electric. Later, during World War II, it built B-17 bomber engines, heavy-duty trucks and the tank-like “Weasel.”
During the 1950s, Studebaker crafted many radical automotive designs, including the “bullet nose” front end and massive wraparound rear windows. It was considered by many to be forward-thinking and far ahead of the times.
The company was headquartered just a short drive from the Chicago suburbs in South Bend, Indiana. While production ceased almost 50 years ago, the company's legacy is being preserved and put on display by the Studebaker National Museum.
The museum is located just a few short blocks from the original factories. It houses one of the world's largest collections of Studebaker vehicles, encompassing all 115 years of the brand's existence.
When Studebaker ceased manufacturing in March 1966, it turned over its entire corporate collection of 37 historic Studebaker vehicles to the city of South Bend. They were on display for the next 40 years in several locations throughout the city, including the former Studebaker Administration Building and a former Studebaker dealership. In 1986, the Studebaker National Museum was formed to care for the collection.
The current building was constructed in October 2005. The museum's three levels are split to showcase various time periods of the brand and also various subject matters. Upon entering the ground level, guests are treated to a diorama showing how painted car bodies would be dropped onto their chassis.
The first floor is devoted to the brand's origins, starting in 1850 and continuing through 1934. Such vehicles on display include a Conestoga wagon built by John C. Studebaker in 1835 and a collection of presidential carriages.
The upstairs floor showcases vehicles from 1935 to the brand's final year in 1966. It includes such rolling oddities as a 1951 Commander used in “The Muppet Movie” and a 1947 Champion Deluxe Station woody wagon. The vehicle was a prototype and found abandoned at the Studebaker Proving Ground test track in 1980. It was then restored over the next 32 years.
Down in the basement, guests will find additional vehicles, including many military pieces and recreated scenes. Scattered throughout all three floors are numerous historical photos, engineering models, design sketches and other important and fascinating Studebaker artifacts.
For more information on the museum, visit www.studebakermuseum.org.
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