The Boyertown Museum of Historic Vehicles houses dozens of automobiles, trucks, and motorcycles that were manufactured right here in Southeastern Pennsylvania while the industry was still in its infancy. Prior to that time, the region produced multitudes of horse-drawn vehicles, of which many examples can be found at the Museum.
The Boyertown Museum of Historic Vehicles is located in Boyertown, Pennsylvania, approximately 35 miles northwest of Philadelphia.
At the Museum You Will:
- Discover rare and handsome vehicles you have never seen before and won’t find anywhere else.
- Trace the history-making evolution of road transportation into tomorrow’s high tech solutions; investigate engines, steering, lighting, and brake developments.
- See vehicles of all types: gas, steam, electric, horse drawn, high wheelers, safety bicycles and motorcycles.
- Enjoy the 100 beautiful color plates in the Gallery of the American Automobile by Clarence Hornung.
- Learn about the electric powered cars of tomorrow in an exhibit of more than one hundred years of EV development.
- Explore the region’s vehicle building history. The names of “Fleetwood,” “Duryea,” “Daniels,” and other early automotive giants will become a part of your lexicon.
- Shop for books, auto items and gifts in the Museum Store.
History
The Boyertown Museum of Historic Vehicles was established in 1965 by Paul Hafer and his wife Erminie. Paul Hafer had a 57-year career of designing and building over 100,000 truck bodies at the Boyertown Auto Body Works [BABW], which was founded by his father. He served for 21 years as Chairman of the Executive Committee of the Boyertown Museum of Historic Vehicles.
The Museum is housed in the old BABW factory. The original 1872 Jeremiah Sweinhart carriage factory still stands as a part of today’s museum facility. This building complex, where vehicles were built from 1872 to 1990, houses the Museum’s collections. Ever changing stage-set exhibits display vehicles as they would have been seen in earlier times. The buildings include the 1872 carriage shop, large exhibit areas, an orientation theater, research library, and museum store featuring vehicle related books, gifts, and toys.
Visitors enjoy learning from a variety of cars and trucks at the Museum’s annual Duryea Day Antique and Classic Car Show on the Labor Day weekend.
