I don’t remember a time before I loved cars. The furthest I can remember back involved me building cars from LEGO and garages to park them in. I had to be somewhere around 1st grade when my dad bought an old CJ7 that looked like a mail delivery Jeep and completely modified.

By the end, the Jeep was lifted, sitting on fat tires with no top, just a roll bar and bright blue metallic paint job. To top it off, the license plate said CJ4SEAN. In just a short 9 years, that would be my Jeep.

I would eventually grow up to understand that 9 years is a long time to keep anything in my family. My latest memories of that Jeep are from when it was broken and parked behind a trailer. I would sit in the driver’s seat and pretend to drive it until my dad sold it. That license plate is now hung on the wall at Miles Through Time Automotive Museum.

A few years later my dad picked up a project, a 1956 F100.  I instantly loved that truck. We did a few things to the truck and even bought an old Thunderbird with a 302 that was going to be used for parts.

This was going to be the truck I’d drive in high school in just a few years. That didn’t work out either, and the truck and Thunderbird were both sold back to the guy my dad bought the truck from.

From that point on, I just drove whatever I could. My oldest brother was off in the Navy, and he left his Jeep Grand Cherokee, so I drove it around the property. We had a really old Farmall tractor, so I drove it.

My dad had an old Dodge pickup at one point. It was big, long bed, extended cab, and orange. I would drive the garbage cans down to the road with it. I just loved driving.

My grandpa had a fancy riding lawnmower. Growing up, we didn’t even have a lawn, so, of course, I wanted to mow his lawn every time we went to visit him, just so I could feel the steering wheel in my hands.

I knew my grandpa had a really cool old car in his shop growing up, but he never took it out. The car was always under the cover. It wasn’t until I got older that I realized how special a 1959 Cadillac is.

After both my grandparents passed away and my dad gave me his dad’s car (3rd times a charm) that is what set me on my current path in the automotive world.

I’ve now owned my grandpa’s car for eleven years. Miles Through Time Automotive Museum was created because of that car, which has now been open for eight years and continues to grow.

My story is just one of many. Cars are my passion and so much more than just a means of transportation. My story led to the creation of a museum, along with a few others, but no matter the path, the story never ends.

Space Farms Zoo and Museum started as a general store, repair shop and 400-acre wildlife refuge in 1927. During the depression, people started paying their bills with whatever they had.

Eventually, people started to come specifically to see the animals and memorabilia on display. This is the only museum I’m aware of with this kind of origin story.

The Ice House Museum is a bit more traditional. This is the private collection of Bill Kidder. Bill passed away in 2005, but his family keeps the museum open seasonally.

Gasquatch is definitely not your typical “museum.” This is a collection of 15 or so classic vehicles that can be seen 24/7 because they are part of a gas station attraction. 

Is it really a museum? Or just a private collection being stored in a business that is open to the public? Does it really matter? You be the judge.

The stories that originate from cars are one of the most interesting aspects of this world. Every car has a story, every collection, every museum, every person. 

You will not run out of things to see and learn.

Have a great week!

SCROLL DOWN TO CHECK OUT THIS WEEK’S 3 AUTOMOTIVE MUSEUMS.

Plan your next trip, discover your new favorite, or find the nearest museum

 Sean Mathis
Creator of Automotive Museum Guide
Founder of Miles Through Time Automotive Museum

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