Did You Know? The History of the Tow Truck and the Towing Industry

Did You Know? The History of the Tow Truck and the Towing Industry

When was the first tow truck invented, and why?

For some, this might be an easy question. For others, it’s a mystery. Don’t worry if you don’t know the answer — even after over 30 years in the industry, I didn’t learn it until 2016 when the 100-year anniversary of the tow truck came around. The first tow truck was invented in 1916 by Ernest Holmes in Chattanooga, Tennessee.

But why did Ernest Holmes invent the tow truck?

Holmes, a garage worker, was inspired to create the tow truck after a challenging recovery incident. He needed six men, blocks, and ropes to pull a car out of a creek. Determined to find a better way, Holmes improved on his design
and began manufacturing tow trucks commercially.

Did you know there’s a museum dedicated to the towing industry?

Yes, it’s true! Almost 40 years ago, a group of passionate towing professionals known as the Friends of Towing decided to establish a museum to honor the industry.

Today, the museum preserves the history of towing, displays artifacts and memorabilia, and provides information to the public. Today, it is known as the International Towing & Recovery Hall of Fame & Museum and it is located in the birthplace of towing, Chattanooga, Tennessee.

Did you know the museum has a Hall of Fame?

Since 1986, the museum has been recognizing individuals who have made significant contributions to the towing and recovery industry. A new class of inductees is honored in a special ceremony in the fall of each year. The Hall of Fame pays tribute to these trailblazers with portraits displayed on the museum’s walls.

Did you know the museum has a memorial for those in the industry killed in the line of service?

In 2006, the museum unveiled the Wall of the Fallen to honor those who lost their lives while serving the motoring public across our industry. At the first dedication ceremony in 2007, the names of 94 towing operators were added to the wall. Each year, during a special fall ceremony, more names are added to remember the brave individuals who made the ultimate sacrifice.

Want to help preserve the legacy of the towing industry?

You can support the museum and its mission by becoming a member of the International Towing & Recovery Hall of Fame & Museum for as little as $150 a year. The museum is a 501(c)3 non-profit, and donations support its operations. Such donations are generally tax deductible.

Mark your calendars for the annual ceremony!

Each year, the museum hosts a special event to honor fallen drivers and induct new members into the Hall of Fame. If you’ve been in this remarkable industry for more than a few months, you owe it to yourself to visit the museum, especially during this annual event. It’s a chance to meet some of the great people who have shaped our industry and to immerse yourself in its rich heritage.

Make sure to put the International Towing & Recovery Hall of Fame & Museum on your bucket list!

By Mike Porter,
Contributor

Image via Sean Mathis

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Visit 6 Southern Automotive Museums In Under 500 Miles

Visit 6 Southern Automotive Museums In Under 500 Miles

There are no shortages when it comes to looking for road trips between automotive museums.  Using the map feature on automotivemuseumguide.com makes this extra easy. However, sometimes you just need a little extra motivation, so here’s a trip you can plan in the south that’ll take you to 6 automotive museums in a round trip in under 500 miles.

coker museum

Where you start is up to you, but for the purpose of this article, we are going to start in Chattanooga, TN with the Coker Museum at Honest Charley. You may be familiar with Coker tires, but if you’ve never been to this downtown museum you’re missing out.  The building itself is even a destination.

Hollywood Star Car Museum

Next up we head over to the Hollywood Star Car Museum in Gatlinburg, TN. (153 miles)  This museum is nothing like the previous museum, but if you enjoy seeing cars from the movies, you’ll love it here.  Gatlinburg is also a bit of a tourist destination so you may also want to walk around the town to see what else the town has to offer.

Wheels Through Time

The next museum is only 50 miles away and again is completely different from the first two museums. Dale’s Wheels Through Time is a motorcycle museum.  There are a couple of cars in the museum, but it is definitely an American motorcycle museum and it is packed with them. This museum was originally started by Dale Walksler who you’d often times see starting and riding motorcycles in and around the museum.  Dale has since passed, but his son Matt has followed in his dad’s footsteps and keeps he keeps his father’s spirit alive in the museum.

Miles Through Time Automotive Museum

A nice 92-mile drive south through the Smokey Mountains will take you to Miles Through Time Automotive Museum, not to be confused with Dale’s Wheels Through Time or Wheels O’ Time. This museum is located only 20 minutes south of Helen, GA, which is the 3rd most visited city in Georgia. You’ll see over 90 full-size vehicles and over 5,000 model cars, plus there is an entire replica town, including the original Phillips 66 filling station. Miles Through Time is located inside an antique store called Vintage Garage Antiques which is also located inside an old textile mill.

Savoy Automobile Museum

After you get your fill at MTT you’ve got a 117-mile drive west to the Savoy Automobile Museum in Cartersville, GA. Savoy stands alone from all the other museums on this trip as being the most fancy.  The building and grounds are new and beautiful in this contemporary automotive art museum. There are multiple galleries that change monthly so there is always something new to see. There are many other museums to visit in Cartersville, including the Tellus Science Museum which also has a small collection of vehicles on display.

International Towing & Recovery Museum

From Savoy, it’s a 74-mile trip back up to Chattanooga where you can visit the International Towing and Recover Museum. Not into tow trucks? Don’t let the name fool you, this is a super cool museum and after visiting you are going to be into tow trucks.

Total miles: 488

Total museums: 6+

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