Museum of Historic Vehicles hosts A Mighty Museum Celebration
Museum unveils new façade
The Boyertown Museum of Historic Vehicles unveils its brand new façade after a several months-long multifaceted construction project.
On Saturday, Nov. 6, the Boyertown Museum will unveil its “same space, new face” at 11 a.m. with remarks by board members and VIPs, acknowledgements to the contractors, and a ribbon cutting. A “car show through the decades” will be on display along with historic photographs of the Boyertown Museum, which was formerly the Boyertown Auto Body Works, manufacturer of commercial and military truck bodies.
Immediately following the remarks and ribbon cutting, the Boyertown Museum will invite its members to a special hospitality tent for refreshments. For the past few years, the Boyertown Museum has worked hard to improve its facilities both inside and out. While A Mighty Museum Celebration will focus on the exterior improvements, much has been done to the interior — including a suspended ceiling, new floor, and an elevator— over the past several years to both enhance the visitor experience and better protect the transportation history treasures on display.
A Mighty Museum Celebration will take this opportunity to thank members for their support these past few years, without whom these projects could not have happened.
After the official unveiling and the members’ hospitality tent, the Boyertown Museum will then showcase an exciting new addition to the collection— a 1938 Dodge truck modified into a camper and show stage by world-famous
strongman Joseph Greenstein, also known as The Mighty Atom. Known locally for his weekly performances at Zern’s Farmer’s Market, Greenstein was a Guinness World Record holder and demonstrated feats of strength throughout the United States. Born to a poor family in 1893 in Suvalk, Poland, Greenstein endured many ailments as a young child. As a teenager,
he learned from Champion Volanko, a circus strongman, how to defend himself. When his family later emigrated to Texas, Greenstein eventually found fame performing feats of strength. As locals may remember, he also promoted clean and healthy living, and sold elixirs and tonics at Zern’s as a way of promoting this lifestyle.
The Mighty Atom’s truck
is now part of the Boyertown Museum collection, and its debut to the public will be on Nov. 6 at 1:30 p.m. To go along with its premiere, local strongman The Irish Anvil will perform an old time strongman show. This performance, as well as the truck and some photos and memorabilia to go with it, is free to the public. The public is then invited to stay for a block party from 2 to 4 p.m. Entertainment during the block party will include KooKoo the Cartoon Magician, silhouette cuttings, vintage bicycle performances by The Wheelmen, and face painting and balloon twisting by Mimzy. Food will be available for purchase from CDs Place Catering & Eatery, Stirrups Mobile Bar, and the Peppermint Stick Candy Store.
The Boyertown Museum would like to thank Diamond Credit Union for being a silver sponsor for this event. Our bronze sponsor is Auto Appraisal Group. Several Museum members have also made donations
towards this event. Details on this event are still to come, so stay tuned to the Museum’s website and Facebook page for updates.
The Boyertown Museum of Historic Vehicles is a 501c3 nonprofit organization founded in 1965 by Paul and Erminie Hafer. The Museum, located at 85 South Walnut Street in Boyertown, Pennsylvania, preserves and displays examples of Pennsylvania’s road transportation history in the former factory buildings of the Boyertown Auto Body Works. More than 90 locally manufactured cars, trucks, carriages, bicycles, and motorcycles are on display, as well as two examples of roadside architecture—a 1921 cottage style Sunoco gas station and a 1938 Jerry O’Mahony diner.
The Museum is open seven days a week, 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Admission is $10 for adults, $9 for seniors and AAA members, and ages 15 & under are free. For more information, call 610367-2090 or visit www.boyertownmuseum.org.