Within two years, a usually unheralded group of individuals will find recognition in a new home in Grinnell--the Spaulding Center for Transportation. The museum, recognizing "Heroes by Example," "Heroes of Industry and Technology" and "Heroes of Valor" in the transportation industry, expects to be at the forefront of the history of transportation in Iowa.
The new museum, slated to open in Grinnell in 2009, will aim to educate people about the history of transportation, as well as invigorate Grinnell's economy by enticing new visitors to the town.
The Spaulding Center for Transportation, the state's official transportation museum, will document the history of transportation in Iowa from methods used by early Native Americans to modern transportation. The museum will be housed at 927 Fourth Avenue in what was once the Spaulding Buggy Factory.
The new collection will be composed of artifacts received and purchased from individuals across the state. "The State of Iowa's historical building in Des Moines is running over; they don't have the room to display everything," said Chuck Brooke, the executive director of the museum.
The museum will house a full restoration of a Grinnell-manufactured 1913 Spaulding Car-ัthe only known remaining of its type. Pat Brooks, a Marshall County supervisor, has taken the helm of the estimated 70,000 dollars restoration project, which involves rebuilding the historic car almost completely.
The museum will showcase diverse forms of transportation, including bicycles, buggies and river boats. "A lot of people think this is going to be a car museum, but that's not true," said Brooke. "We do have a Spaulding we're restoring, but I can't emphasize enough [that] this is not a car museum."
With interactive displays, simulations, and rotating exhibits, the museum planners intend to engage visitors of varying ages and interests. One such interactive aspect, the Transportation Heroes Center, will highlight individuals who have made significant contribution to the development of transportation in Iowa. The inaugural group of heroes will be announced in 2008.
The Spaulding Buggy Factory, whose building will house the museum, was a major factory in Poweshiek County from 1902 to 1917. The factory produced 16,000 buggies per year at its peak prior to switching to the automotive industry in 1908, and was Poweshiek County's largest employer, according to the museum's website.
The museum is being funded by a combination of state and federal grants, as well as by private donations. Grinnell College provided matching funds in the amount of 25,000 dollars to help buy the Spaulding Factory property, according to Amy Kalkbrenner, Acting Director of Community Enhancement for the College.
To supplement this funding, the museum is seeking local money and involvement. "We've had a lot of support from the local people," said Brooke, "and we're hoping to get some more support going locally."
The idea for the museum originated in Ames, where retired Department of Transportation personnel imagined a museum that would preserve the history of transportation in Iowa for future generations. In 2001, they decided upon Grinnell as the future site for the museum because of its rich transportation history and central location.
The museum planners intend to bring a considerable number of visitors from in and out of state to Grinnell. "It'll be a tremendous asset for Grinnell as far as bringing people to town," said the President of the Grinnell Area Chamber of Commerce Larry Goodrich. "It will draw people to the shopping district and restaurants," he said. "Some people will stay in a hotel for the night and go to the museum the next day."
But in order for this economic invigoration to occur, the museum must be exciting and attractive to tourists. "They have to have something that will draw people, something exciting enough to pull someone off I-80," said Howard McDonough, president of the Grinnell Historical Museum. Mr. McDonough is a consultant for the museum.
According to Kalkbrenner, the new attraction will improve life for Grinnell students too. "Anything that increases tourism will also improve restaurant options and the quality of life downtown," said Kalkbrenner.
A public presentation of the proposed interior design plans will be given on Tuesday, February 19, at 6:30 p.m. The presentation will be held in the Veterans Building in Central Park, and the museum's architect will be present to answer questions.
