Cars of Yesteryear

After our lunch and trip to the Patton Museum, I wanted to see two things in Elizabethtown.  The first was a car museum owned and operated by the Swope Family.  It is located at their Elizabethtown car dealership.  The Bill Swope is like the Larry Miller of Utah.  He started his own dealership years ago and now owns many dealerships in Kentucky. 

It wasn't long after Bill opened his first dealership in Winchester, Kentucky, when he got a call from a friend, Pat Humphrey, who was a Chrysler dealer in Danville, KY. Pat told Bill, "I've got just what you need, a 1918 Dodge Touring Car for just $250." He told Bill that if he were to park it in front of his dealership it would draw in customers. Bill decided to pass on the offer. Pat then called Bill back and said, "I'm going to sell you that car for $200 and bring it to you on a flat bed truck." What Bill didn't know is that this 1918 Dodge would become the first car in his vintage and classic car collection.

Bill eventually moved his business to Elizabethtown Kentucky where the Swope Family of Dealerships and Swope Motor Company still thrives today.

By 1999 Bill had acquired numerous vehicles for his collection and decided he needed a place to bring them all together. Central Kentucky had done so much for him that wanted to give something back, so he opened Swope's Cars of Yesteryear and made it free to the public as a gift.

This museum is his private collection of vintage cars. It is priceless. I had read about it online and wanted the kids to see these very rare and fascinating cars.  It was well worth our time.

1928 Packard 443 7 Passenger Sedan