Tat’s Bizarre Travels

Indiana, PA - I’m actually not a fan of Jimmy Stewart. Pretty much if he’s not in a Hitchcock film he isn’t worth watching in my opinion. And even then I could pass, unless it’s Rear Window. I love Rear Window. It’s one of my favorite Hitchcock films, and I can overlook the casting of Stewart because it is such a great film. And who wouldn’t want to be Grace Kelly?

So , I just wanted to visit someplace (relatively) close and I figured on an hour drive to Indiana to visit the Jimmy Stewart Museum (JSM) wouldn’t be all that bad. Not that I expected much, but I have to say I was sorely disappointed. Especially since this year marks the 100^th anniversary of his birth. I thought there may have been some sort of interesting something or other. I was wrong, yet again.

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Moundsville, WV - When you go to visit the Official Marx Toy Museum get ready for an education. This isn’t a museum that you got to just to look at toys, it’s one where you get to learn about them. You can’t play with them, but considering some of the toys can bring in as much as $14,000 on the collectors market I guess that makes sense. So basically it’s the opposite of every principal a child holds dear. Well, at least it’s a fun education.

When you first come to the museum you’ll be met by the owner, Francis Turner. He has a whole schpeal that lasts a good half hour and includes a little ten minute video that tells you the rise and fall of the Marx empire. I happened to show up at the same time as some other visitors so we got the tour all at the same time, but something tells me he’ll give his talk to as few as one visitors. He’s an expert on the Marx toys and Louis Marx himself. And with thousands of toys that span the 60 years of Marx rule, you can understand how he could get a little attached.

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PLEASANTVILLE, PA - In the heart of Pennsylvania oil country lies a little gem. This place is more than just a pile of antique cars, it’s a labor of love for it’s owner Gene and his wife Cora. There are may reasons I say this. Part of the reason is because they’ve been charging $3.50 for the past seventeen years. Part of it is because they built the museum to be their house, but instead it became a home for their cars. But most of all it’s because if you sit down and talk to them you will learn how much they love cars, and especially these.

I came upon this place as a recommendation from the gift shoppe lady over at the Drake Well Museum and I have to say I’m glad I did. The area around Oil City is obsessed with oil, a little to it’s determent from the sounds of it. The Tyred Car Museum isn’t on the list of tourist attractions because it doesn’t focus on oil. Gene has tried to tell them cars run on oil, but…whatever.

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