Traveling Square Dancers: Auburn Cord Duesenberg Automobile Museum

Who We Are

We sold our home in June, 2007, and spent the next 7 1/2 years traveling full time in a Cross Roads Fifth Wheel. (We had been traveling during our summers for several years before going full time.) We loved the full-time lifestyle! Each summer we spent a month or two volunteering in State Parks, first in Indiana at McCormick's Creek State Park, near our family, then in later years as the grandchildren got older, at the Bluewater Lake State Park in New Mexico. We spent 6 months each winter at Cactus Gardens RV Resort in Yuma, AZ, where I worked mornings in the park office. The remaining months were spent on the road, seeing this great country of ours. Our favorite places are our National Parks. Anita loved photography and the freedom of digital photography, taking sometimes hundreds of photos in a day. We hiked as much as our legs will allow. We also really enjoyed square and round dancing as we travel across country, and meeting all the wonderful people who dance and/or travel.

But as in all things, there comes a time for change, and we decided it was time to create roots once more. In the fall of 2014, we purchased a home in Cactus Gardens, and in the spring of 2015, sold the 5th wheel. Anita also retired in the spring. We will continue to travel each summer, but for a shorter period of time. We hope to continue blogging about those trips, but it will obviously be on a more limited basis than in the past.

Please explore our past posts if you are interested in traveling this great country. You'll find an index in the left column. We hope you enjoy our blog, and appreciate all comments

Wednesday, October 3, 2012

Auburn Cord Duesenberg Automobile Museum

The RV repairs meant we had to spend 4 days in a motel, an experience we hadn’t had for more than 6 years. We spent one of those days visiting the Auburn Cord Duesenberg Museum in Auburn, Indiana, a place that had been on Ron’s “Bucket List” forever.

He was not disappointed, nor was I for that matter. It is a fascinating place.

Auburn Automobile History

In just 36 short years, the Auburn automobile rose and fell as one of the most innovative, finely engineered and superbly styled automobiles at a reasonable price in America. The Auburn Automobile Company was established in 1900 and incorporated in 1903 for the purpose of manufacturing horseless carriages. By 1903, Cycle and Automobile Trade Journal was reporting that a single-cylinder, Auburn gasoline engine car could be bought for $1,400, including side lamps and a tool kit. (excerpted from the Museum history files)

We spent the morning on the ground floor. Here are some of the cars on exhibit:

1926 Auburn (note the 3rd door for easy access to the rumble seat ….and the turn signal)

1928 Auburn

1930 Auburn

1930 Auburn (see the trunk?)

1932 Duesenberg (convertible with disappearing aluminum top)

1932 Duesenberg

1932 Cord Prototype (Custom made…never went into production…when we inquired about the value, we were told IF it ever went up for auction, would bring more than $10 million!)

1933 Auburn Sedan

1933 Auburn Salon

1934 Auburn

1936 Cord Convertible (sold new for $2,145)

1936 Auburn Cabriolet

1936 Auburn (Last year of production for the Auburn automobile)

1936 Cord

1937 Cord

1937 Cord Coupe

It’s amazing how much modern automotive technology started with these early automobiles.

Finally, a chance to do more than just look…?

After lunch, we toured the upstairs. Many vehicles of varying makes were on display. Still interested? A link at the bottom of this post leads to a slideshow of some of the displays upstairs.

Also of interest in the museum were:

The building is a masterpiece in itself. Constructed as the Auburn Headquarters in 1929 at a cost of $450.000, it is listed as a National Historic Landmark today.

There was a room upstairs devoted to how the cars were designed. Wooden scale models were constructed, then clay molded around the wood until the desired shape of the vehicle was found.