Our narrative begins in Lowell, although we occasionally venture beyond. On the Road is a periodic series that delves into other areas of interest outside our local area.
The first time I went thereThe Gilmore was totally accidental.
My wife Julie and I were on a Sunday drive through the countryside. We had just traveled along some well-known and enjoyable roads near Gun Lake when I chose to go further south. Suddenly, in the middle of what I thought was “nowhere,” we spotted more than a dozen long, impressive, very old cars neatly placed on a lovely lawn.
“What in the world is that?” we both exclaimed as I made a quick U-turn.
It turned out we had driven past a section of a car show at The Gilmore Car Museum, and “nowhere” was actually 6865 Hickory Road in the large area of Hickory Corners, Michigan. We spent the next few hours wandering through the lovely grounds that featured more than a dozen restored barns from across the state. These structures had been carefully dismantled and then rebuilt on the property.
Oh sure, we observed a range of incredibly impressive vehicles all at once.
Unlike my brothers, my interest in motorized transportation is somewhat modest. I’m caught between two car enthusiasts — Les is older and Mike is younger — and my brothers can talk confidently about engine size and original paint colors, and so on. In contrast, I tend to say, “Wow, is that a 1930 Rolls Royce an amazing work of art that you can actually drive or not?”
Our final trip to The Gilmore was entirely intentional. My brother Mike and his wife Jessica were going back for the Bowtie car show, showcasing his award-winning Generation 3 Camaro. (FYI – “Bowtie” refers to the Chevrolet brand.)
During the time between the two visits, I have made numerous additional trips to The Gilmore. Occasionally, I have brought others along as well. For example, there is a classic motorcycle exhibition scheduled for September 13-14, which I have attended several times. If you enjoy motorcycles and unusual three-wheeled vehicles, this event is definitely worth attending.
The Gilmore was first envisioned in the early 1960s by David Gilmore while he was working on another car in his garage. It officially opened on Sunday, July 31, 1966, showcasing 35 cars from different manufacturers and eras. Nearly reaching its 60th anniversary, the collection has expanded somewhat. Today, approximately 400 vehicles are exhibited across roughly 210,000 square feet of display area.
There are vehicles of all kinds here: 1899 Locomobile Steam Car, a Tucker, a small structure containing only Pace Arrows (Julie’s favorite), and the Rolls Royce I previously mentioned that was donated to The Gilmore by Walt Disney.
Talking about the enjoyment at The Gilmore, last month, I saw Lowell residents Mark and Theresa Mundt arrive at a graduation party in a pristine Model T. Mark purchased the vehicle with his son Paul after they learned how to operate one at The Gilmore. Trust me, you’ll require some guidance before hitting the road in a Model T.
The Gilmore features a renovated gas station, a wonderful vintage diner, a model Cadillac dealership, and many other attractions. You can view all the offerings they have atThe Gilmore Car Museum.
I could write extensively about this amazing location for many more paragraphs than I can here. If you’ve never visited The Gilmore and have any interest in cars, motorcycles (they recently opened a barn featuring bikes!), restored 19th-century barns, or the automotive history of Michigan, or any mix of these, you should go. If it’s been a while since your last visit to The Gilmore, you’ll find it continues to grow and improve.
Time to do a little self-promotion for my brother and his car – he won his category (once more). Great job, Mike and Jessica. Thanks for the invitation.
The post On the Road: The Gilmore – 90 Acres of Mechanized Heritage appeared first on Lowell’s First Look.
