WHAT YOU'LL SEE

Three spacious, attractive buildings house an eclectic collection, featuring antique vehicles--about 50 autos, ranging in age from 1915 to the 1980s, several fire trucks, farm tractors, Caterpillar machinery, bicycles and more.  You will discover working displays of clocks, musical instruments and devices, as well as vintage clothing, tools, toys and farm labor-saving devices, including washing machines dating from the early 1900s.  We have on display a 1924 Best Tractor and a 1925 Holt 2-ton tractor, manufactured by fore-runners of Caterpillar, Inc.  There are also operating displays of golf equipment, dolls, Lionel train layouts, and electric motors.  There are a number of staff-constructed exhibits such as the life-size barbershop quartet of ex-presidents, a miniature circus, a kinetic ball display and a calliope in a fancy wagon, complete with a clown.

Available for coin operation are a player piano, orchestrion, and several juke boxes playing your favorites on 78 and 45 rpm records.  Also available are a stereopticon, a scales, and a Hurdy Gurdy man with his little beggar monkey.

Autos on display include  Model Ts, Packards,  two Peoria-built Glides from the late teens, a 1925 Velie built in Moline, Illinois, and other vehicles, dating from the teens to the 80s.

An exceptional display is that of the 3/4 size model of Charles Lindbergh's Spirit of St. Louis, the plane he flew solo in 1929, to Paris.  This was constructed by a local grade school's 5th grade--a great learning tool.  Its size was determined by the size of the children who helped to build and "fly" it; they were also about 3/4 sized.

Outdoors there is the #886 Rock Island steam locomotive, with tender, a Milwaukee Road combine car, a TP&W caboose two Pullman cars and a Plymouth switch engine.  There is an operating old-fashioned windmill and a gazebo where you can have a picnic lunch, or just visit with friends.

A receptionist and hosts are always available to greet you and explain and operate displays for you, such as the antique clocks and music boxes.

The museum is handicapped accessible with an elevator, a skywalk between buildings and door ramps.  There is a museum store, selling T-shirts, models, books and much more for adults as well as children.

We are a friendly institution, having been open since 1983, and we hope that a visit will be included in your plans.