International Towing and Recovery Museum: Busy day here. We started out the morning at the "International Towing and Recovery Museum"! Who would have known?! But I will tell you, everything was very well displayed and very interesting.
Towing is a huge part of American transportation. Having served on the fire department for over 25 years and responding to hundreds of motor vehicle crashes, we worked closely with wrecker companies. It was not always a great relationship, but I always respected what they had to do. I was thankful to learn they have their own organization that supports the families of those tow truck operators that are killed in the line of duty, and it happens all too frequently. Thankfully all of the states now have "Move Over Laws" which help to protect tow truck drivers who respond to emergency roadside calls by requiring nearby drivers to move over.
We paid a modest fee in the gift shop and then proceeded into a small theatre where they queued up an introductory movie. The museum opened in September 1995
We then moved into the museum and saw many beautifully displayed tow trucks starting with the first one. This industry was started by Mr. Ernest Holmes Sr. He built the first wrecker, and opened a garage in Chattanooga TN. His son, Ernest Jr would carry on with this. They were joined with their cousin Melvin who took on the sales efforts. Holmes wreckers were one of the most well known. You've likely seen Holmes wreckers but you might not have realized it.
1946 Chevrolet with a Holmes 525 wrecker body
So much automobile history in these places! Transportation had a huge impact in the growth of our Nation. We are thankful to have stopped here.
They offer free tastings or a tour with a flight tasting for a price. We opt'd to just sample the products and then I bought a "Bottled in Bond" to take home. It is a 100 proof single season, vintage dated expression of their Tennessee malt style. Each vintage is crafted from "a wide selection of unique bourbon mash bills". The "bottled-in-bond" designation mandates that brands clear numerous rigorous hurdles. The spirit must be aged for at least four years and bottled at precisely 100 proof (50% abv). It must be made by one distiller at a single distillery in one season, then aged in a bonded warehouse.
Tomorrow is an open day for us. Not sure what we will do at this point. Thursday we have lunch with my cousin, then Friday we depart Chattanooga.
We paid a modest fee in the gift shop and then proceeded into a small theatre where they queued up an introductory movie. The museum opened in September 1995
We then moved into the museum and saw many beautifully displayed tow trucks starting with the first one. This industry was started by Mr. Ernest Holmes Sr. He built the first wrecker, and opened a garage in Chattanooga TN. His son, Ernest Jr would carry on with this. They were joined with their cousin Melvin who took on the sales efforts. Holmes wreckers were one of the most well known. You've likely seen Holmes wreckers but you might not have realized it.
The first Holmes wrecker, 1913 Locomobile with a 485 Holmes Wrecker
Again, like many of the museums and venues we visit, I took a ton of pictures but will try to pick a few significant ones to post here.
World's fastest wrecker, clocked at 109.330 mph at Talladega NASCAR track 1 Aug 1979
1929 Chrysler with a 3 ton Weaver crane
Lil' Mater from the Pixar's movie Cars
1941 Diamond T Wrecker, US Army
1970 Cony with a Holmes Commander 1200 used in Japan
Some beautifully restored gas pumps.
Tow truck pedal cars
Tow truck paraphernalia
2002 International
1926 Ford with a 3 ton Manley Crane
The Towing Hall of Fame
Coker Car Museum: From there we headed into Chattanooga a couple miles to the Coker Car Museum. This museum features vintage cars, hot rods, motorcycles, trucks, buses, airplanes, rare engines and memorabilia. It is located in Honest Charlie's Speed Shop that was established in 1948. Honest Charley Speed Shop was the world’s first mail order speed shop and named after Charlie Card, the founder. Honest Charley began advertising in Hot Rod Magazine and branched into other cities, before the fuel crisis of the 1970s and death of Card in 1975 sent the Speed Shop into a downward spiral. The shop closed its doors in 1990, but eight years later Corky Coker bought the business to save the brand from extinction.
We were greeted in the gift shop, again, paying a nominal fee and then entered the museum including a working hotrod shop, paint shop, wood shop, etc. They host wedding receptions and other events here also.
Again, many pictures taken but will try to parse this down so we don't lose anyone. You walk from the gift shop into a long narrow area with various cars, a bus, a motorcycle and other vehicles. This is also the entrance to the paint booth (below where it says Firestone) which was in-use while we visited.
The working paint booth.
A complete wood shop used in vehicle restoration
A couple '55 classics!! Doreen said that!
Beautiful old motorcycles of various brands
1909 Thomas Flyer
1927 Isotta Franschini
The working hot rod shop
Chattanooga Whiskey Company: On the way back to the campground we made a quick stop in the Chattanooga Whiskey Company, across the street from the Chattanooga Choo Choo complex. It is a small distillery producing several different products.
On the way, we walked passed this unique wedge-shaped building just down the street.
Next door is this defunct restaurant with unique electronic signage
Back to the campground for a late lunch and some Liberty time and then later in the afternoon we headed up I-75 to Cleveland TN to have dinner with a military comrade of mine, Chief Master Sergeant (retired) Mike Kennedy and his wife Arleen. Mike and I both served in senior leadership positions in the Air National Guard. Mike was in security forces and later became the First Sergeant Functional Manager. I was in communications maintenance and then served a four year tour as the Wing Command Chief in Des Moines IA, followed by four years as State Command Chief.
One of our duties as Command Chief was to manager our First Sergeants at unit level. So we worked closely with the First Sergeant Functional on all matters involving our First Sergeants. Later Chief Kennedy also served as the Air National Guard Liaison Manager at Lackland Air Force Base where all Airman attend basic training. My daughter Jennifer did a statutory tour there and Chief Kennedy was her superintendent. So, lots of connections and interactions with Chief Mike over the years! Plus Mike is a car guy and has a beautifully restored Plymouth Duster in his garage along with a 1972 Mustang Mach I ! AND his daily driver is a Dodge Challenger!! Now that is what I am talking about!
So when he read in our blog that we were going to be back in this area he invited Doreen and I over for dinner. We are very thankful for Arleen and Mike for their hospitality and friendship over the years!
Tomorrow is an open day for us. Not sure what we will do at this point. Thursday we have lunch with my cousin, then Friday we depart Chattanooga.
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