The sign outside says Keystone Antique Tractor Museum. But don’t be fooled. The welcome mat inside provides the full name of the museum: Keystone Truck and Tractor Museum.
But this does not tell the whole story. Of course, there are nearly 200 tractors and dozens of trucks on display, and trucks of all brands and years are in original condition. But there are also fire trucks, cars and enough souvenirs to make anyone long for the 1950s. Remember Sir Walter Raleigh Canned?
My wife Carol and I recently visited this 95,000 square foot factory in Colonial Heights, north of St. Petersburg in I-95 state.
To be honest, the tractor is not my business, but from the moment we entered the museum, we were overwhelmed by the colorful commotion. Dozens of tractors are arranged in neat rows by brand-green John Deeres, red Cockshutts and orange Allis-Chalmers.
There are also some very rare specimens. Just like the 1917 Waterloo Boy Model R was spotless. This single-speed, two-cylinder tractor is equipped with a hand crank and runs on kerosene.
Soon, I found my favorite tractor: 1938 Minneapolis-Moline UDLX painted prairie gold. This is not only the first tractor with a cab, but it can also be used as a car. Its car features include windshield, fold-down seats, windshield wipers, rearview mirrors, radio, defroster, cigarette lighter and speedometer. Only 125 of them were manufactured.
James Pearl of Burkitsville, Maryland, said when he visited the museum for the first time: “The quality of the restoration is great.”
“I know what it takes to put one of them in this state. Just round the parts, and then sandblast and paint each part.”
During our visit, we met Keith Jones, the founder of the museum, and his bulldog, Mack Truck, was standing on the floor and walking with him. Jones established the museum in 2010 as a place to showcase his growing collection of vehicles.
It all started with a tractor around 1960. Jones’ aunt auctioned off the late uncle’s 1950 John Deere M. The teenager successfully bid for the tractor.
After cleaning the honeysuckle vines and replacing the rotten tires, he set about repairing the tractor.
But the museum is not just about tractors. Trucking is full of Jones’ blood. He and his four brothers are in the truck industry. There are also some boutique trucks.
Museum curator Alan “Bones” Stone showed us a beautiful green 1937 Studebaker Model 30 truck cab. This car is about corners and aerodynamics. Stone said the Model 30 is one of the first trucks to use Martin’s fixed fifth-wheel, a device that allows tractors and trailers to be fastened and safely tied.
Beside it, I admire the 1930 Diamond T dump truck with pedals, elegant grill and square cab. Legend has it that the boss of Diamond T Motor Company said: “Trucks don’t have to be commonplace.” This truck proved that he was right.
Stone is the souvenir collector of the museum. There are hundreds of items in his soda bottle collection, and he can tell visitors the origin of each item. Other souvenirs include canned food, many of which have local connections, including the strawberry preserves in Old Virginia and the pride of Virginia herring. There are red and white cans of Kendall motor oil, Gulf and Texaco fuel pumps, and cans marked with a gasoline price of 22 cents per gallon. In addition, there is a collection of 1,800 die-cast model trucks, both of which are different.
When I was young, tobacco advertisements were everywhere, in magazines, newspapers, and on both sides of the barn. When I looked at the red hound dog and the slogan “A Dog-gone Good Chew”, memories flooded again. Sir Walter Raleigh was also there, with a pointed beard and feathers on his hat. Carol noticed that in the ad in the magazine, actress Carole Lombard said: “I switched to Luckies on the advice of my singing coach.”
If you like cars, there are many attractions here. A ’57 Red Thunderbird two-door convertible with its hood open, showing its engine. The round porthole looks cool on the fiberglass drop-down top. The ex-factory price is $3,408. We also saw the first generation of the ’67 Chevrolet Chevelle SS and the ’67 Cadillac DeVille. 1967 seems to be an equally good year for cars and rock music.
One of the most unusual features of the museum are murals created by local artists that tell the story of the Jones family. The focus is a big yellow truck with Homer Jones and his son on the front, and five Jones brothers on the front seat. It seems they are bursting out of the wall.
In fact, family is the subject here. The museum is reminiscent of small towns, country shops and family farms. On the entire wall of the museum, hanging from the ceiling, are black and white photos of the Jones family over the years.
When I asked if there was a special vehicle in the “Bones” Stone Museum, he said, “It’s like taking a child-you shouldn’t be loved.”
Admission: $8 for adults (US$1 for military, fire/police, and senior citizens over 62 and general admission). Children (6-17 years old) $ 5. Children aged 5 and under are free, adults need to pay. (One child per paying adult; for each additional child between 1-5 years old, the admission fee is $1).