My Model A Trip to Milltown, Wisconsin

[Tom Wesenberg]

Tuesday I drove to Milltown Wisconsin to try to track down an old Ford dealership. This all started about 7 years ago after Ken found a Christmas card in an antique shop with a picture of a 1928-9 Model A Tudor on it. The card was from a Ford dealer in Milltown, WI. About 3 years ago I thought it would be a good idea to get a club trip together to drive to Milltown and see if they still have a Ford dealer, or at least the building it was in. Tuesday I decided to just go on my own. My first stop was just 25 miles from home when I spotted the 1926 nice original Model T for sale, and took some pictures of it.

I took a picture out my windshield of some of the fall colors, as our trees are starting to turn. The colors don't show well in this picture, but the distant trees you see in the center are across the St. Croix river, and in Wisconsin.

My next stop was at an antique shop in Osceola, WI. There I found a nice Marx electric train set in it's original box and with some papers showing trains and accessories to buy. It was only $65, so I had to buy it.

Milltown was only about 75 miles from home, and once I got about 20 miles out, the traffic was much lighter, which made the trip more enjoyable.

[Tom Wesenberg]

Once I arrived at Milltown I drove around to check out some of the buildings. I saw this interesting looking building which appeared to be abandoned. A neighbor was sitting on his porch and asked me if I wanted to buy it. I told him it would make a nice place to store Model A parts, but the roof was in poor shape. You can barely make out the building for all the brsuh and trees growing on the east side. The neighbor said there is still lumber inside from when the building was in use making church furnature.

[Tom Wesenberg]

After leaving the furnature building I drove to mainstreet and parked in front of the hardware store. An elderly woman was walking down the sidewalk and stopped to talk about my car. I told her I drove it to town to see about the old Ford dealership. She mentioned that the hardware store used to be an old car dealership, so I went inside to see what I could find out about it. Right over the door was two large pictures of when it used to be a Dodge and Buick dealership.

A few minutes later a man walked up and said he heard I was wondering about the Ford dealer in town from years ago. The lady told him about me, and it turns out he was in charge of the historic society for the town. He took me to the town diner where an older man was having lunch. They both took me to the town museum and opened it for me to see several of the pictures of the town from the early days. He also told me the library across the street was the old Ford dealer. Parked near the library was this homemade woody with collector plates. Wisconsin must be lax for purchasing collector plates.

BTW, the building added on to the right side of the hardware was the old blacksmith shop when the hardware store was a Buick and Dodge dealer.

[Tom Wesenberg]

The guys from the museum showed me pictures of a large canning factory in town during the 20's and 30's. I'm not sure when it last operated, but they told me the building was torn down a few years ago. He told me to be sure to drive to a farmer's place a few miles south of town and check out his collection of cars, and other antiques. He also mentioned the old town school was just south of town. He said in the 20's the town population was only about 200, and yet it supported 3 car dealerships, a large canning factory, and other business. The first two pictures are of another car dealership from years ago. It is now an auto repair shop.

[Tom Wesenberg]

The first two pictures are from the museum, then the old town school as I drove out of town and to the famer's house. As I drove up in my Model A the farmer's eye's lit up and he stopped mowing and came right over to talk to me. He said it was too bad I wasn't there a couple weeks ago because now he had all his signs put away for the winter and was pretty well closed for the season. He did however give me a quick tour of the place, and what a fantastic collection he had.

[Tom Wesenberg]

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The Stanley Steamer is the same model as the one owned by Jay Leno, and the guy from the museum said it was the only 2 left. I seem to recall the farmer saying there were 6 of them left however.

[Tom Wesenberg]

There are several building filled with nice antiques. Next time I get up that way I'll have to ask him how long he has been collecting. I'd imagine it would be most of his life to find so many nice collectables.

[Tom Wesenberg]

The first picture is the last of what I took at the farmer's museum. He has a small building with an antique barber shop in it. He also has a nice antique soda fountain shop and makes sundaes and malts for the visitors with a donation box to pay for them. He did mention that some groups don't even donate enough to cover the cost of the ice cream.

This is the last of the pictures of my adventures on my trip to Milltown. The day started great with my stop at the antique shop in Osceola and finding a low priced Marx train set. My last stop of the trip was also at Osceola to view the waterfall in town. It's a very deep ravine with steep sides. There is a long stairway leading to the bottom, but at the halfway point I saw what might have been a walking path from some time ago. I wanted to pick some snake grass to show my 6 year old nephew, so I started on the path. After I picked the snake grass I slipped on some loose rocks and went tumbling down getting banged up by some rocks. The sides were so steep I couldn't stop until I finally hit a tree with my ribs. At first I wondered if I broke my leg or some ribs, but after about 5 minutes I was able to catch my breath and make my way back to the stairs and to a seat to rest at one of the landings.

My leg started to swell right away, my ribs were bruised and my arm looks like it went skidding down the road from a motorcycle fall. A couple women came by and asked what happened and said they would walk with me back up the stairs to make sure I made it. All this adventure came about just because Ken gave me a copy of the Christmas card from a Milltown Ford dealer.

BTW, Ken is an attorney. Do you suppose I can sue him, because none of this would have happened if he hadn't given me that Christmas card. LOL

The two men from the Milltown museum said that Milltown will have a pumpkin festival October 12th and would like to have our Model A club come to town that day. However, since the farmer is closed for the season, I'll have to try to put together a group trip for the spring.

[juke joint johnny]

Looks like you had a Great day out Tom !!

That museum would be a fine place for a club run and not to far from home either ,

thanks for posting

John Cochran

[Bob-A]

Wow, Tom! Thanks for relaying your adventure to us. Some day I would like to do the same. On the back roads of here in Florida.

Bob-A

[don-wi]

Hi Tom,
I'm the guy that stopped by in Osceola to look at your car and bend your ear. I enjoyed visiting with you and looking at your car. Glad to hear your healing up, you had some rough looking battle scars.
Don

[QGolden]

Nice story Tom, thank you for sharing. I would like to go there to see that Briggs Flyer Motor Wheel. I have never seen a restored one in person.

[BRENT in 10-uh-C]

You know Tom, it goes to show the neat treasures that are hidden away in this great country of ours. I do hope you are able to heal quickly from your "acrobatics maneuver". Your car looks greet too!!


One other thought to ponder, ...isn't it amazing how you made a 200 +/- mile roadtrip in your Model-A without the need for an overdrive, an alternator or a 12v electrical conversion, and without a large tool box?? It seems like I am constantly being reminded you need those things so that you can be able to drive or 'tour' in a Model-A.


.

[Richard Wilson]

Thanks for sharing your adventure Tom. Sorry to hear about the slip and fall. Good way to meet girls but may not be worth the pain. Phaeton looks nice in the pictures.

[Afordman31]

Tom, you story of your trip was very enjoyable, sorry about your fall. Thanks again. Afordman31

[George Miller]

Great story, hope you can get the club to go next year. Hope you heal soon.
Goes to show how fragile life is.

[whirnot]

Well, it is the season (FALL) heh heh heh

[al's28/33]

GREAT story and thanks for sharing all the wonderful pictures!!!

[BudP]

Great story and great pictures. I think Tom sees more on a trip than many people and he certainly enjoys what he discovers. And, I am glad he documents his adventures with narrative and pictures.

[SDJason]

WOW - thanks for sharing!!
I was pondering making a run to some of the local little car museums I know of around my parts; I think my mind's set now...