Heritage Museums and Gardens

In this exhibit we present the origin story of the American automobile through cars from Heritage’s permanent collection. How did the car emerge as a transformative cultural force of the twentieth century? What were early automobiles like? Why did gasoline become the fuel of choice? What ever happened to steam engines? How did the car change the daily lives of ordinary families? Come along for a ride from the late 1800s to the early 1960s and watch the car evolve from a horseless carriage to a streamlined symbol of freedom and independence.