Wow What a collection This is the Larz Anderson Auto Museum home to America’s oldest car collection.
The Larz Anderson Auto Museum isn’t just a museum it’s a journey through automotive history. Located in Brookline Massachusetts it sits on 64 acres of beautiful Larz Anderson Park. The museum resides in a stunning historic carriage house built in 1888. It was designed by the famed Boston architect Edmund M Wheelwright. He also designed several other iconic Boston buildings.
Isabelle and Larz Anderson a wealthy couple began this incredible collection. It started with an 1899 Winton 4-hp Runabout. Their collection grew to include 32 motorcars and horse-drawn carriages. They were early enthusiasts of the automobile. They bought a new car nearly every year. The cars showcase amazing technological advancements. These range from steam-powered vehicles to electric ones.
One of the museum’s most famous cars is the 1899 Winton Phaeton. It looks like a horseless carriage. It features padded seats buggy springs and gas lamps. Only one hundred were made. The steering is a tiller like on a boat. Two years later in 1901 a Phaeton with a steering wheel arrived. This demonstrates the rapid innovation of the time.
The Andersons spared no expense. Their collection includes a 1907 six-cylinder Fiat considered a rocket ship in its day. There’s also a 1906 C-G V that made a transatlantic voyage from France. This cost $11000 in 1906 which is about $800000 today. Many cars have a porcelain commode a detail many visitors find amusing.
What’s unique is that each car has the Anderson’s monogram and a nickname. Some believe the nicknames reflect the car’s qualities. Others think it was like naming children since they had none. Isabelle Anderson was the first woman in Massachusetts to get a driver’s license. She frequently drove around town in a 1908 Bailey Electric Phaeton.
The Larz Anderson Auto Museum is special. Unlike many museums the cars are shown in their original condition. This reflects the museum’s opening in 1949. The museum’s dedication to preserving history is evident. They embrace the concept of preservation over restoration showing these vehicles as they truly were. This unique approach tells a powerful story about automotive history and the Anderson’s passion.