Nellybelle, a 1946 Willys Jeep used in The Roy Rogers Show, will be the centerpiece of our new exhibit Branding Roy Rogers: From Nellybelle to Lunchboxes at the Boyertown Museum of Historic Vehicles beginning December 1, 2012 and running through the end of February 2013. Still in excellent shape, Nellybelle often had a mind of its own on the television show. Though owned by Roy Rogers himself, Nellybelle was driven on the show by sidekick Pat Brady. While Nellybelle is enough of an attraction in and of itself, there will also be plenty of Roy Rogers merchandise on display. Roy Rogers was one of the most recognizable faces in the 1950s, and second only to Disney cartoons in product licensing. Visitors will be able to see some of these toys and advertisements that helped make Roy Rogers and his gang such an integral part of American popular culture.

UPDATED: By popular demand, the exhibit has been held over to March 31, 2013!  Take advantage of this extended engagement time to come see Nellybelle before she drives down those “happy trails!”

Beginning in mid-November, the Boyertown Museum will be having a special Christmas exhibit to coincide with the holiday season.  Vintage toys and decorations will help enliven the festivities.  Two exquisite 1920s Ford trucks will be on display and decorated for the festivities.  One of these two trucks is a 1924 Ford Model TT with some very interesting modifications—a multi-level operating electric model train track!  These trains will be run on December 7, 2012, during the Boyertown Holiday House Tour, on which the Museum will again be a stop.

A 1924 Ford Model TT truck hides antique toy trains behind its doors.

Charles Duryea, in a portrait taken while he lived in Reading, Pennsylvania.

A new display at the Boyertown Museum of Historic Vehicles traces the history of automotive pioneer Charles Duryea during his time in Pennsylvania.  Duryea built cars in both Reading and Philadelphia.  His attempts at building a more “scientific auto” did not meet with great financial success, but the mark he left on automotive history is undeniable.  In conjunction with the Museum’s annual Duryea Day event, six of his Pennsylvania-built cars will be on display.  These six examples will trace the different phases of auto design Duryea implemented while he worked in Pennsylvania.  Included in this display is his last car, a Duryea Gem, which has not been on display at the Museum since before moving to its current location at 85 South Walnut Street.

The display, entitled, “What a Motor Vehicle Should Be: Charles Duryea’s Pennsylvania Autos” will run until October 31, 2012.