A Bit Off Topic Museum Closing

[g-g-g0]

Sorry this may be off topic for Buick folks but does pertain to folks interested in cars of the past.

 

Just saw on the local South Bend news that the Hostetler Hudson Museum in Shipshewana, IN is very possibly going to be closed and the cars auctioned off due the inability of the small community to support it. This is an outstanding collection of Hudsons. Billed as the largest collection. Shipshewana is just a few miles south of I 80 in northern Indiana. For those traveling to the NATS in Wisconsin, this would be a very desirable stop. It is in the heart of a large Amish community and I can tell you those Amish ladies do know to cook and bake and you can even take time to view over 50 Hudsons.

 

Gary

[Thriller]

That's a shame. I really liked it when we toured there in 2013, the kids got a kick out of the horse drawn carts too as I recall. As it was a stop on a BCA National Meet tour, I'd say it's fitting to have the post here. 

 

 

[Barney Eaton]

I was impressed with the Hudson museum.  You always get a lot more information about a brand when it is in a museum that caters to particular brand. 

Would hate to see the cars spread around, and when they go into private collections they may never be seen by the general public.

 

Along those lines.......if you are going to Wisconsin in about 10 days, there is the Wisconsin Automotive Museum in Hartford.  It's main collection is Nash and Kissel Kars.

Hartford is about 45 minutes from the hotel (north) I plan on going Wednesday morning before the Buick show gets up to speed.

 

In researching Brookfield, I found there is a shopping center North of the hotel.  Among the places to eat is a franchise that I am farmiliar with....Jason's Deli is a great place for lunch.

Big selection of sandwitches, a salad bar, soups, and free ice cream......Don't tell your friends, it will get too crowded. 

[NTX5467]

You might do a mirror posting in some of the other AACA forums.  I agree, always better when a museum specializes on one particular brand of vehicle, or manufacturer/brand.

 

NTX5467

[Pete Phillips]

I would like to get a small group together on Wednesday morning of the meet to go to that Kissell museum--am told it is in the old Kissell factory in Hartford, Wisconsin. Tony Bult, who lives in the area will take a group in his Roadmaster wagon if he can get free. If not, we can take my pickup truck, which holds four. Need to leave around 9 a.m., get back by lunchtime, if possible, or a little after lunch. Too much other stuff going on to make it a full day.

Pete Phillips

[Mark Shaw]

My flight does not arrive until after lunch on Wednesday.  Anybody going on Thursday?

[jscheib]

Mark,

 

Which reminds me, did you get any other offers for a lift.  I can to Wednesday arrival, but if not needed, I would make the Hartford trip with Pete and Barney plus others on Wednesday AM,, otherwise perhaps you, I and any others could got Thursday AM 

 

Friday morning/afternoon I am still hope to gather some interest in the Miller Race Cars at the Milwaukee Mile Track.  Do you know if your friend from Washington and Buick Brass will be there?

 

John

[Thriller]

We could consider the Kissel run...not sure how long it would take in a V8 Buick (Mark, that's one of them new-dangled engines  ). We've offered ourselves to Kris so don't know yet if/when we could get away. The mood of family members may also come into play. 

 

[John_S_in_Penna]

On 6/23/2017 at 9:36 PM, Barney Eaton said:

I was impressed with the Hudson museum....  

Would hate to see the cars spread around, and when they go into private collections they may never be seen by the general public.

 

Many museums' displays are stationary, with the cars

never taken out.  A car from a long-term museum collection

is likely not in good running order, and could need quite

a bit of work.  Bidders, take note, if that is the case here.

 

But were the Hostetler Museum's cars not driven?

I met Eldon Hostetler once or twice at Hershey and talked to

him.  He was there just a few years ago with one of his cars,

and he passed on only recently-- in 2016.

He explained that he grew up in an Amish family, invented

a time-saving agricultural implement that is still widely used to this day,

and became very wealthy in the process.  He remained a very

modest man, and that was good to see.

 

Here's a link:  http://www.hostetlershudsons.com/history.html

It says the town agreed to keep the cars together during

the lifetime of Mr. and Mrs. Hostetler, and she (his wife) just passed on.

 

The positive side of a museum sale, if there is one, could be that the

cars get driven more than they would be after Eldon's passing,

and maintained regularly by their new owners.  In honor of Eldon Hostetler,

let's hope they go to caring homes!

Edited July 18, 2017 by John_S_in_Penna (see edit history)

[D Yaros]

When I spoke to the son at the museum he did indicate that all cars were in running order.

 

A pity to see this museum go by the wayside.  Do not know how it can be prevented.  Would a "GoFundMe" campaign help it stay open, I wonder?

 

http://www.wndu.com/content/news/Classic-Cars-in-Shipshewana-may-have-to-be-sold-off-430013343.html

 

Per this article it appears the museum is about $6K short annually from being able to stay open?

http://www.goshennews.com/news/local_news/shipshewana-s-hudson-car-museum-collection-may-be-sold/article_2be3371d-94de-583a-a625-8166b42791bf.html

 

$6K does not seem like an unduly large sum to raise, does it?

[auburnseeker]

I think it's more than 6,000.   Seems the story lacks some information.  There is some sort of 150,000 tax not being made up.  The 6,000 was the difference in utilities and what the admission brings in.  It seems though that they have been searching hard for solutions according to the people interviewed.  Seems almost like someone wants the thing to fail so they can sell off the cars and have funds for a different pet project.  Otherwise you could sell off one or two cars to make it solvent a little longer not the entire collection.  

This is the problem with donating stuff.  You are entrusting it to someone else.  Often those people don't have your best interest in mind or the skills to properly manage it.  I have seen it locally with families giving their kids wonderful businesses that were thriving and even expanding and in 5 years the business is closed and most the assets have been sold off. 

[60FlatTop]

Naming an undertaking a Museum, and incorporating it as one, carries some stiff regulations when you start operating. Credentials for staff are critical. A certified archivist must be in the mix somewhere and the preservation as well as research carries credentialed requirements. There is a lot to it.

 

In the early 1990's I was part of a group trying to create a Rochester, New York automotive museum. I still have a notebook with the operations guideline. The City was supportive and had two locations available. Rehabilitating the buildings was our responsibility. In the end, as hobbyists, we were pretty much limited to dusting the cars.

 

That was 20 years ago. I would bet regulations are tighter today. It's a tough place out there when compliance rears its head.

 

As an example, the village I live in had a truck terminal for sale. A church wanted to buy it and change the zoning use. They were blocked because the board thought there might be too much noise in the neighborhood on Sunday mornings. It has reopened as a truck terminal 7 days a week. A small museum owner is going to run into that mentality and worse.

Bernie

[trimacar]

23 hours ago, auburnseeker said:

I think it's more than 6,000.   Seems the story lacks some information.  There is some sort of 150,000 tax not being made up.  The 6,000 was the difference in utilities and what the admission brings in.  It seems though that they have been searching hard for solutions according to the people interviewed.  Seems almost like someone wants the thing to fail so they can sell off the cars and have funds for a different pet project.  Otherwise you could sell off one or two cars to make it solvent a little longer not the entire collection.  

This is the problem with donating stuff.  You are entrusting it to someone else.  Often those people don't have your best interest in mind or the skills to properly manage it.  I have seen it locally with families giving their kids wonderful businesses that were thriving and even expanding and in 5 years the business is closed and most the assets have been sold off. 

This is more the "4 generation" rule than the museum rule.  If you research family business, very few successful businesses survive through 3 generations, and almost none through 4 generations.

 

The reason?  Seems to be that the offspring take the easy life for granted, and no longer think they really have to work for it.  The money is coming in, everything seems OK, and by then you've hired a bunch of people who should keep it going...but that's not the case always.

 

I worked for a third generation, very respected, local company.  As the fourth generation was being ushered in, the third generation relaxed and enjoyed all the big money.....until the banks stepped in and said not happening.....

 

So yes, if one is going to give a business to the younger generation, one needs to make sure the work ethic is still there, and hasn't been erased by the easy life given to them.

 

I seriously doubt $6K is a problem, and also think there's more to the story.  Even with a $150K deficit, between donations and selling a car every now and then, it wouldn't come to an end so quickly.  I don't know the facts, but possibly the remaining family is just tired of fighting for it....

[Janousek]

The Hostetlers were wonderful people that loved their Hudsons.  With the passing of both of them the past couple years it allows the city to sell the cars.  I doubt anything will keep the collection together as dollar signs for local government will trump history.  

[g-g-g0]

As Janousek mentioned above they were wonderful people. If memory serves me correctly, Eldon Hostetler was born into an Amish family and was an inventor that designed and patented automated chicken feeders and watering equipment. Because of his successes and the required travel world wide to market his products, he turned to the Mennonite sect as they were more tolerant and allowed members to drive. Thus his interest in Hudsons. His book, "The Life and Times of Eldon "Ziggity" Hostetler" is an interesting read with stories and life as an Amish child plus details of his inventions and travels.