Packard Museum
America's Packard Museum is the world's only restored Packard Dealership operating as a museum, and the only full-time museum dedicated exclusively to the Packard Motor Car Company, it's products and philosophies.
The museum was founded in 1992 by Dayton attorney and long-time car collector Bob Signom. Located in the original Packard Dealership Building which was built in 1917, the museum has officially taken the name of the original dealership: The Citizens Motorcar Company, but has become known as America's Packard Museum.
The January 1998 edition of Car Collector magazine named the museum one of the Top 10 Museums in America. In 2004, the Society of Automotive Historians conferred the prestigious James J. Bradley Award upon the Museum for its exemplary efforts in preserving motor vehicle resource materials. Only 6 other U.S. museums have received the Bradley Award.
The museum has an assortment of cars on display, representative of Packard’s illustrious history, including Al Capone’s last new car and several Packard concept cars. It also has a number of Packards by Howard “Dutch” Darrin on display.
America's Packard Museum
420 S. Ludlow St. Dayton 45402
(
937) 226-1710
Packards
Packard was founded by brothers James and William Packard in the city of Warren just northwest of Youngstown.
James Ward believed they could build a better horseless carriage.The company, which they called the Ohio Automobile Company, quickly introduced a number of design innovations including the modern steering wheel.
While Henry Ford was producing cars that sold for $440, the Packards concentrated on more upscale cars starting at $2,600.
Packard automobiles developed a following not only in the United States, but also abroad, with many heads of state owning them.
