Cars and Buggies

Russ and I visited South Bend many times when Chris was going to school there.  But not once did we tour the Studebaker National Museum. Too bad, because it is an interesting place. The Studebaker family, famous already for designing the Conestoga wagon, established South Bend as the home base for their growing company and built their mansions and business there. The company began their work in South Bend in the 1850s manufacturing buggies and wagons and launched into those new fangled cars in 1902. Their niche market was cars for the well-to-do. They focused on quality and reliability, attributes the founding Studebaker based his wagon-making business on. We spent a few hours enjoying the historical buggies, wagons and cars that occupy the two floors of the museum. The plant is slowly being disassembled and redeveloped. It looks like a blight on the city right now.

After our short visit to South Bend, we traveled to Shipshewana, an Amish community that we had visited a few times before. Our campground was right on the main street, so we had close access to the business section. I visited a couple of my favorite quilt shops and Russ spent some time in the Yoder hardware store.  Yoders caters to the Amish families and it was cool to see them mingling with the tourists, like us. They go about their business and are kind to ignore the stares they get from the non-Amish. One night we ate dinner at the Blue Gate restaurant, famous in the area for their Amish and Mennonite dishes. It was a Friday night and many local families were dining out.  I was amazed at how the Amish children are so well behaved, without any empty threats by their parents. I saw an Amish father with 8 children having lunch at a pizza place. The kids included one boy about 2 ½, sitting next to his father in a high chair. He ate his pizza without throwing it around and when he was done, he started getting fidgety and stood up in his chair. His dad quietly said something to him and the boy decided to sit down and wait for the others.  No tantrums, no challenging his father’s authority. Contrasting that to other families I see in the restaurants we go to, I am sad that many parents don’t seem to know how to control their children without resorting to yelling or just ignoring them.

We had clear but hot weather in Shipshewana. It was fun to drive through the area in the late afternoon and look at the well-tended farms and the buggies carrying couples out for a nice drive, like us. Every time I visit Shipshewana, I find myself relaxing and taking things slower. The world seems calmer there.

Continuing on to Pennsylvania.

Russ was trying out one of the Studebakers. He said that he had a hard time seeing over the steering wheel.  The rest of us would have to sit on pillows.

An original Conestoga wagon with original wood.

If you saw the movie, Lincoln, you might remember the scene where Abe and Mary were driving to the theater and they talked about what life would be like after the war.  Of course, they were headed to the Ford Theater and life changed for them. This is the actual Landau that Lincoln was driving (not in the movie, but back in the 1860s).

This was a detail from the manufacturing plant.  Several architectural details from the plant were in the museum.

Studebaker launched into the horseless carriage industry with an electric vehicle.

During a time when Model-Ts were selling for around $300, a Studebaker car was over $1,000.  They were made of highest quality and didn't target the working man per say.

A beautiful hood ornament on a 30's model. Very Art Deco.

I loved the beautiful colors on display. And the paint jobs were amazing, such deep, creamy colors!.  Lots of chrome to polish though.

An add-on option - an ouga (sp?) horn!

This model did not sell well, even though it was so streamlined.  Check out the whitewalls.

Love the two tone look - lavender and pink! Do they even do two tone anymore?

The Avante was the last model that Studebaker built. The picture on the wall is a photo of the five brothers that took the small company their father had built and turned it into the Studebaker most of us knew.  For over 120 years, the company provided vehicles for all facets of life - farming, military and city/suburban life.

The cars waiting to be restored were stacked two high.

The kids had access to a play garage, where they donned work shirts, and used tools to check out the engine, change tires and oil.

As we neared Shipshewana, we spotted our first buggy headed to a tire repair place.

Car drivers were duly notified of the presence of the buggies and I thought they were very courteous about slowing down and keeping a distance away from them.

We saw a lot more Amish riding bicycles this time. Looks like these two are headed home from shopping or working.  Many Amish and Mennonites work in the stores and restaurants.  Our campground had an Amish woman driving a golf cart checking on the trailers.  Many of the bishops allow the Amish to use modern equipment if it is required for their work.

Saturday was market day for many of the families.  Lots of different wagons - check out the homebuilt with car seats and rubber wheels instead of a plank for a seat and spoke buggy wheels.

Barn quilts (painted quilt designs) are very popular out in the countryside on "English" farms (non Amish and Mennonite).

Not sure these were for sale although they are new.  The Amish women I saw wore tennis shoes or flip-flops. But I didn't see any with their Sunday best on - maybe these are worn then.  Ouch!

Felt sorry for this guy. It was very hot out in the sun and he didn't have any water or food. He kept shifting his feet like they were hot.

We listened to a dulcimer group play a few country songs.  It was a lot of fun to pick out the sounds from the different instruments.

Fields of corn and beans were so lush.

On one of our country drives, we stopped in nearby Goshen and had lunch at a brewery.  It was housed in a former powerplant.

I had a flight of their lighter ales with my sandwich.  They were ok, a couple were way too fruity and flowery, but Heritage tasted good.