Vintage Tools Museum List

[Cooter Brown]

There used to be a hardware store outside Marietta GA near where I lived at the time. I had only been in once or twice before and one day I was there picking up a few odd and ends and for some reason wandered into the back of the place and discovered an area bigger than the rest of the store, filled with thousands of old tools on display, mostly grouped by type or trade--cobbler's tools together, logger's tools together etc. The owner of the store, Mr. Sellars, had been inspired early in his collecting when he met Eric Sloane and saw his collection.

For the next few years until the owner died I'd go in and wander around and talk to Mr. Sellars and his wife when I was in the area. After he died the family sold the stuff that was redundant to the collection and donated the rest to a local college. The amount of stuff he had was staggering--what was displayed in the store was impressive but only a fraction of what there was.

I bought some of the stuff they sold, some of which I use. A great deal of it however went to the college, which built a museum for it.

Here's a link:

https://www.reinhardt.edu/funkheritage/highlights/tools/

 

[Miller '72]

Once again, a pilgrimage to my MECCA.

I had the opportunity to head to Collinsville yesterday, 20 minutes away, and meet Mr. Michael McBride, an author of several axe books, for the afternoon at the Canton Historical Museum.

It was a great afternoon and pleasure to meet you Mike.
Your treasure chest of knowledge for axes and the history of the company's that made and marketed them helped create an experience tailored for an axe guy like myself.

See you next time, bring a metal detector

A very special thank you to Kathy Taylor.
Kathy is the Town of Canton Historian.
When I arrived, Kathy and Mike were already immersed in axe history and lore.

Thank you, Kathy.
Your generosity of time, wealth of knowledge, and boundless passion for The Collins Co. created an experience yesterday that was too fun to focus! Unique and special.
Thank you, Kathy.

 

[John A. Larsen]

Not necessarily a Tool Museum, but the New Bedford Whaling Museum, in Bedford, MA has all the "Tools of the Trade " of the old whaling industry. The highlight for me was the half scale model of a whaling ship, the Lagoda, built in 1916 that is 89 feet long! I seem to remember the museum was basically built around the Lagoda, which although only half sized is big enough you can (or could) walk around in it. John

 

[Boattale]

I read there is a river boat wreck or wrecks that have been salvaged and turned into a museum I would love to get to. Its in this forum I just haven't found it again yet to better reference it. I think i read it has on exhibit many New England/Eastern made tools.

When we get to Alaska, I will be heading to Haines for sure.

Are you thinking of The Steamship Arabia? It was located in a field near the Missouri River, and subsequently exhumed. There is a museum about it in Kansas City, MO.

 

[garry3]

https://industrialhistory.org/

One of their archived video's.