Well where to begin, it has been sometime since I have done a post on here. The last blog post about my travels was down to Texas and the Mother road in October. Since then I purchased a 1941 Plymouth which was the last post I made on here. Lots has happened since then one of the biggest was me getting a new job.
Lets start there…
On November 5th of 2018 I became the director of the Owyhee County Museum in Murphy, Idaho. After my summer job ending at the end of September I came back home and had about a month off before starting the new job. I applied for the position back September and had my interview early October. Since starting at the museum which I have been a member of for the past ten years there is lots going on. I have been able to fire up not only the 1915 Model T at the museum but also the 1941 John Deere B tractor. The museum is located in a very small town in Owyhee County. I commute each day about 30 mile along country roads with no traffic which is great because if I had a job in downtown Boise I would be fighting the rush hour traffic mess, it gets worse each year.
Being the director, the boss of a museum was something I didnt think I would be doing at this point in my life. I just graduated Boise State University with my Bachelors in History in 2017 and without a Masters I have began my career in history running a museum. This small but well funded museum by volunteer, donations, members and county support is quite large and has alot going for itself. The museum highlights the history of the county from ranching to mining.
Front of the Owyhee County Museum
Besides being busy running the museum Thanksgiving came and went along with the Christmas holiday. Both were enjoyable spent with family and Christina. Christina and I have grown closer and continue to work well together. This year in May will mark our 5 years of being together and as we continue on we are getting closer to wanting to move in together and eventually an engagement to follow. Only time will tell to see what
Christina and I under a canopy of Christmas Lights
happens. There is lots to talk about before anything happen and we are taking it slow. I am also still working part time at the Boise Depot as their tour guide. Five years ago I created a historic tour for Parks & Rec. who run the old 1925 Boise Depot as an event center. Each first Sunday I lead a tour of the history and during Christmas there is a special evening open house where I read the Polar Express to all the kids. I even dress as the conductor.
Conductor at the Boise Depot
As for restoration of the Plymouth is concerned it is moving along at a great pace. So far the new white wall tires are on and the inside is being cleaned and improved. By March the car will be ready to roll.
I believe that covers it for now, im sure I left things out but will add photos below of the museum and other highlights in the past months. Not much traveling will happen this year due to my full time job but for sure will be down in Ogden Utah for the 150th anniversary of the Transcontinental Railroad on May 10th. There will be a huge event and the largest steam engine in the world there as well.
Until next time..
First start of the 1915 Model T in seven years.1940 JD model B out front of museum. currently being fully restored.
New White wall tires for plymouth
Cleaning our inside of car and prepping it for rust preventive. The car over all is in great shape.
On Sunday October 7th the Western Idaho Model T Club headed for Silver City, Idaho. This was a journey the club used to make all the time but in the past ten years it has only been a dream. The trip would make history not only because it was the first trip up the mountain for the club in over ten years but a surprise finding in Silver City would make the trip even more special. I was privileged enough to have been invited to come along with the club on this trip even though I dont own a Model T myself. In next couple paragraphs I will recount the trip and share with you lots of photos that I took of the ride.
At around 11:45 a.m. on October 7th two 1924 Model T Touring cars and one 1923 Model T speedster started out at the base of the mountain where the dirt road meets the pavement. All the T’s where trailered to this position from Nampa, Idaho. Everyone was bundled up since the cars are not enclosed and it was a brisk morning with breezy conditions but the sun was out and crystal blue skies as far as you can see all the way up to the top of the mountains where our destination lay, the old mining town of Silver City, Idaho.
Silver City was founded in 1864 soon after silver was discovered at nearby War Eagle Mountain at an elev. 8,065 ft. The settlement grew quickly and was soon considered one of the major cities in Idaho Territory. The first daily newspaper and telegraph office in Idaho Territory were established in Silver City. The town was also among the first places in present-day Idaho to receive electric and telephone service. The town would have electricity before the capital of Idaho, Boise did.
The placer and quartz vein mines became depleted around the time Idaho became a state in 1890. Due in part to its extremely remote location, Silver City began a slow decline but was never completely abandoned. Small-scale mining continued off and on until World War II; the last mine to be operated all year round in Silver City was the “Potossi,” managed by Ned Williams.
The Idaho Hotel one of the main iconic buildings in Silver City once housed 40 rooms and electric power. It was restored and re-opened for tourists in 1972. It relies today on the use of propane refrigerators and stoves in order to supply cold drinks and snacks or a complete meal to guests during the summer months. The rooms are fitted with indoor plumbing and furnished with antiques, making it a tourist destination though today there are only 13 rooms. By 1972, the townsite and its environs were listed on the National Register of Historic Places as a historic district, the Silver City Historic District.
From our starting location with the T’s to our destination is around 60 miles of dirt road. Luckily the road was in great shape but has about two large steep climbs that the group was concerned about but were all pretty sure that they T’s could make it. As we rolled along and began our accent the cars did well and there is nothing like watching the scenery roll by from the back seat of a Ford Model T. I was in Jeremy’s 1924 Model T along with Susan and Jerry making the car fully loaded along with Mark’s tour car also fully loaded they were handling well as we climbed the first hill. Gary’s speedster with only one passenger eventually over came us and sped along the dirt road, having no problems climbing up the grade.
Getting closer to Silver City before the big accent. Paused for a little break and time to get a great shot of the cars together.
Following the group was a pace car and a truck and trailer just in case one of the cars broke down and had to be towed out. As we began our climb up the steepest part of the road Jeremy and Mark’s T eventually just flamed out with not enough power to climb the hill with all the weight in it. This is when Susan Jerry and I climbed out along with the other passengers in Mark’s car. After helping with a push of the T they started up the grade once again while we were left with either the pace car to ride in or on the trailer. I chose the trailer which proved to be a bumpy ride going up the hill.
The road started to level off at the top and we were able to once again ride in style to our destination. By this time the road was winding its way through the pine trees and aspens that were all in full Autumn bloom.
Before coming into Silver City the road drops back down into a valley and as we rode down both the Model T’s used their brakes a little much to the point you could smell the oil in the transmission starting to cook. Model T’s dont have normal brakes on the wheel area like modern cars. All the braking and clutching is done with bands on the transmission and you can over heat them if you are not careful and also destroy the band completely. By the time we rolled into to town most of the braking power was gone.
We Made it!
By the time we rolled into town it was just past 12:30 p.m. and decided to break out the pack lunches we all made. Town was busy with ATVs and side by sides and we found that the Idaho Hotel was still opened and was its last day of the season for them and they still had fresh baked pie to serve. Of course the whole club cleaned out what was left.
While looking around the town we met the winter caretaker. Each winter everyone leaves but one man stays and watches over all the buildings from people who come up through the snow to look at the town and may vandalize the historic structures. Now the winter caretaker happened to be Dave Wilper who was one of the founding members of the Western Model T Club! This trip to Silver City become all that more memorable and special when he gave us a tour of his home and the historic church that was built in 1868. He also showed us photos of when the club used to come up to Silver city during the 1970s.
Dave Wilper holding a photo of Pete and his Model T in Silver City many years ago.Our Lady of Tears Catholic Church.Inside of the church with original ceiling and varnish.
After our private tour of the church it was time to head back down the hill to where we started that morning. Jeremy and Mark checked their transmissions to see how the bands had fared on the way up and down the hills and both agreed that the cars could make it back home. Once again I climbed into Jeremy’s Model T, this time just me as a passenger which helped lighten the load. Luckily we had two pilot cars for everyone to ride in to keep the weight off the T’s. Up and down the hills we went again eventually Marks Model T lost all its braking power and he relied on low gear using the engine to brake, no tightening of the bands could help eventually and we just took it slow going back. We left Silver City around 3:30 making it back to the starting location by 5pm.
Leaving Silver City
In the end no cars had to be put on the trailer and everyone had a great time. The weather was perfect for the drive up to 6,210 ft. The group all decided to head for Pizza at Idaho Pizza back in Nampa where we talked about the days events and how special the day was for the group. I myself do not own a Model T but a big 1937 school bus but the club has welcomed me in like I am part of the family. It is a great group of people and look forward to more adventures with them in the future. They all say next year they plan to ride again to Silver City and this time bring their speedsters and leave the touring cars behind. As a passenger on the trip it left me time to look out and enjoy the scenery of the trip and one could almost imagine what it was like to travel by dirt road across the great American West in an open touring car with the wind and dust in your hair. What an experience to be able to have almost 100 years later.
Cars up at Silver City in front of the former drug store.
The Idaho Hotel one of the main iconic buildings in Silver City once housed 40 rooms and electric power. It was restored and re-opened for tourists in 1972. It relies today on the use of propane refrigerators and stoves in order to supply cold drinks and snacks or a complete meal to guests during the summer months. The rooms are fitted with indoor plumbing and furnished with antiques, making it a tourist destination though today there are only 13 rooms. By 1972, the townsite and its environs were listed on the National Register of Historic Places as a historic district, the Silver City Historic District.
On the go with Eriks 