Antique Auto Museum at Hershey Profiles Horseless Carriages from the Brass Era
The Antique Auto Museum at Hershey, located in Hershey, PA, is turning back the clock with an exhibition of horseless carriages from the brass era that will run from November 4, 2006 to May 31, 2007. The exhibition will feature a selection of 14 vehicles borrowed from private collectors and the GM Heritage Collection. Some nameplates will be familiar: Cadillac, Ford, Oldsmobile, while others like Stanley, Overland, Krieger (electric) and Mercer are known only to collectors and automotive historians. All of them, however, have something to say about the origins and technology of the car that you drive today. They are also some of the most colorful, visually interesting vehicles ever produced.
The Brass Era
The Brass Era began with the production of the first commercially manufactured automobiles and ended around World War I.
During the Brass Era, more than 1,000 different makes of automobiles were produced in Europe and the United States. They rolled out from backroom workshops, small carriage builders, and later dedicated factories. Many looked like carriages without horses; others resembled four-wheel bicycles. They were powered by steam, electricity and the internal combustion engine. Many failed in the market place or never achieved true production. However, in the process, Brass era vehicles introduced, tested, and perfected the systems and pieces that would eventually be used to build the modern automobile. Vehicles produced during the Brass Era featured brass fittings and accessories rather the nickel and chrome found on later automobiles. Most people consider Brass Era as quaint relics of an earlier time. However, this period ranks as one of the most innovative and progressive eras in the history of the automobile.
Museum Notes
In addition to the Brass Era exhibition, the museums collection currently numbers more than 150 vehicles, all of which have been donated. At any given time, you can see 85-100 classic cars and trucks on display. Collection vehicles span almost a century of American motoring from the 1895 Chicago Motor Benton Harbor to a 1977 Chrysler Cordoba with fine Corinthian leather seats. Youll also see trucks and special vehicles like a 1924 REO Funeral Hearse and a 1935 Autocar Atlantic Tank Truck, as well as rare vehicles like our four magnificent Stearns-Knights and a pair of 1917 Pierce Arrows that were retired to the museum after decades of use.
The museum offers a wide variety of educational tours for students. Tours support state curriculum standards in history, English, math, economics, science and technology and are generally available Monday through Thursday from 9:30 2:00. Tours are presented with an eye toward the curriculum and the age level of the group. Customized tours, special projects, or extended visits including a lunchtime can be arranged for an additional fee. Length of tour varies according to program.
The Antique Auto Museum at Hershey, a member of the Smithsonian Institutions Affiliations Program, displays beautifully restored automobiles in unique scenes and settings. The museum is located just off Route 39, one mile west of Hersheypark Drive in Hershey, PA. Regular admission is $8.
The museum is open daily from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. For more information, call 717-566-7100 or visit www.aacamuseum.org.
NADA Sponsors Automotive Career Month Activities
Students across the U.S. will learn about the wide variety of career opportunities available in automobile and truck dealerships during Automotive Career Month in October an initiative sponsored by NADA. Young people participating in Automotive Career Month will receive a behind-the-scenes tour of a new car or truck dealership in their community to see first-hand how the business works in all areas of its operation. During the event, they will have an opportunity to interact directly with dealership employees and view a new video on auto careers. Students and parents are often surprised to learn that dealerships offer so many rewarding career opportunities, said William Bradshaw, NADA chairman and a new-car dealer in South Carolina. Many dealerships have good jobs for good pay available, and theyre actively seeking the next generation of workers.
More than 104,000 positions are available at new-car and truck dealerships nationwide, according to a 2006 survey by Harris Interactive, sponsored by the industry group Automotive Retailing Today.
For more information, visit www.nada.org/careers.
AutoZone Future Technician Scholarship Winners Announced
Memphis, TN AutoZone has announced the winners of its second annual AutoZone Future Technician Scholarship program. The $10,000 automotive industry-focused scholarship was divided among the gold, silver and bronze medal winners of the SkillsUSA National Championship, Automotive Service Technology competition recently held in Kansas City, MO. The AutoZone Future Technician Scholarship was created to provide an incentive to high school students seeking post-secondary educations, help build automotive career option awareness and infuse highly-qualified professionals into the workforce, said Bill Rhodes, president and chief executive officer of AutoZone. One of the most effective ways to achieve those goals is to support and cultivate educational opportunities for future automotive professionals. This scholarship gives us the opportunity to make a profound and positive impact on the future of the automotive industry.
This years AutoZone Future Technician Scholarship Winners are:
* Gold Medal Scott Tonelli of Grafton High School in Grafton, WI. For more information about AutoZone, go to: http://www.autozone.com. |