Auburn Cord Duesenberg Automobile Museum opens 'Workers Behind the Wheels' exhibit honoring the men and women behind the cars

Courtesy of Auburn Cord Duesenberg Automobile Museum

AUBURN, Ind. – On April 10^th, the Auburn Cord Duesenberg Automobile Museum will open its newest permanent exhibit, the "Workers Behind the Wheels Gallery," the final historic space inside the original Auburn Automobile Company headquarters, to the public.

Installed in the northeast interior office space originally used by Roy Faulkner, Vice President of the Auburn Automobile Company, this room has never before been open to visitors.

The Workers Gallery documents and interprets the specific jobs, skills, and daily experiences of the men and women who kept the Auburn Automobile Company running. Through photographs, artifacts, oral history recordings, and personal objects, the exhibit highlights the everyday workers whose craftsmanship shaped each stage of building a car.

A shot in time of the workers on the line. Courtesy of Auburn Cord Duesenberg Automobile Museum

The gallery features:

Oral history quotes from employees recorded in the 1980’s
Workers’ coveralls, tools, timecard slots, stripping brushes, upholstery fabrics, and machinery
A custom podium inspired by Auburn shipping crates displaying employees’ names, departments, and monthly salaries
Special focus on the women whose work was vital and uncommon for the era

The exhibit has a special focus on the women whose work was vital and uncommon for the era Courtesy of Auburn Cord Duesenberg Automobile Museum

“The Workers Gallery allows us to highlight the men and women whose skill and labor built iconic Auburn automobiles. We’re especially excited to debut the final space in our historic building that has never been open to the public and use it to share the stories of the local workers who made the Auburn Automobile Company possible.” -Madison Auten, Collections & Education Manager.

Thank you to The Wilson Foundation and PNC Bank Foundation for their support of this exhibit.

About Auburn Cord Duesenberg Automobile Museum: The Auburn Cord Duesenberg Automobile Museum – where the world’s finest cars of yesterday live today! Over 120 classic, antique, vintage, and special interest cars are displayed with other automotive-related exhibits on three floors. The museum is located in the original 1930s national headquarters of the legendary Auburn Automobile Company and is a National Historic Landmark. The museum is open from 9:00 am – 5:00 pm daily. The museum is closed on Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day, and New Year’s Day. Visit the Auburn Cord Duesenberg Automobile Museum, a place where automotive history comes to life! 1600 S. Wayne St., Auburn, IN, 46706 • (260) 925-1444 • automobilemuseum.org.

If you like stories like these and other classic car features, check out Old Cars magazine. CLICK HERE to subscribe.

Want a taste of Old Cars magazine first? Sign up for our weekly e-newsletter and get a FREE complimentary digital issue download of our print magazine.

We know you love old cars, but do you collect anything else? Ever wonder about the baseball cards in a box in the basement or Grandma’s old coins in a jar? Do you love history or spin vinyl? Head on over to Collect.com and see what you are missing. Collect.com is the who, what, when and where of the collecting world! https://www.collect.com/

Auburn Cord Duesenberg Automobile Museum Workers Behind the Wheels

Old Cars WeeklyAuthor