From New to old: Tennessee's City Garage Auto Museum

A 1955 Ford Customline sedan with sheriff markings is stationed in front of the City Garage Car Museum. The building was originally a Dodge-Plymouth dealership in Greeneville, Tenn., from the 1940s to late 1970s. Courtesy of Leroy Drittler

City Garage Auto Museum is housed within a Dodge-Plymouth dealership operated from the 1940s to the late 1970s in the historical district of Greeneville, Tenn. After the dealership closed, several non-car-related businesses occupied the former dealership until Kent Bewley purchased it.

City Garage Auto Museum is the second-most-visited attraction in Greeneville, and is across the street from the number one attraction: the home of Andrew Johnson, the 17th president of the United States. Greeneville’s third-most-visited attraction is the Greeneville Historical Museum, which is just down the street.

Bewley has a long history in the automobile business. His dad opened a Packard dealership in Greeneville in 1937, and Bewley started working in the dealership when he was eight in “clean-up.” Bewley’s high school car was a ’57 Ford Fairlane that his dad received as a new-car trade-in. When Bewley finished college, his dad offered to sell a share of the dealership to him, so he bought in and followed in his father’s footsteps. Several more dealerships followed in Greeneville and other nearby cities that sold Chevrolets, Pontiacs, Oldsmobiles, Buicks, Cadillacs, Subarus and others. In reminiscing, Bewley said one of the saddest days of his ownership of dealerships was when the Oldsmobile executive of the Southeast Oldsmobile Region called and requested all dealers join a conference call in which the discontinuation of Oldsmobile was announced. Bewley asked, “Why not Buick instead?” He says Oldsmobile owners took great care of their cars and were some of his best service customers.

This 1923 Ford Model T truck is loaded with a Texaco fuel tank and parked in front of the museum’s replica Texaco Gas Station. Courtesy of Leroy Drittler

Throughout his dealership years, Bewley collected special cars he liked, and as he was nearing retirement, his wife, Bettye Anne, suggested that he open a car museum to display them. The historic Plymouth-Dodge dealership building became available shortly after that, so Bewley bought it and made it the home for his car collection. The museum is now in its 16th year.

The museum features approximately 40 vehicles. Some of the vehicles are on loan, but most are owned by Bewley. He has another 30 or so vehicles in storage and rotates at least one or two every month. The newest vehicle in the museum is a 2006 Bentley Continental GT while a 1901 Oldsmobile replica depicts the oldest vehicle. Bewley’s most recent addition is a Plymouth Prowler purchased just a few months ago.

The museum features a small gift shop where T-shirts, caps, books and other items are sold. The museum includes the Suzie-Q Diner, which can be used for birthday parties and other events. Inside the museum is a replica of an early Texaco gas station and a replica of the Bewley Motor Co. showroom displaying a 1950 Packard. One corner of the museum is dedicated to race cars. Museum admission is a very reasonable $5, with kids 10 and under admitted free. Hours are 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Friday and Saturday.

City Garage Car Museum
210 South Main Street
Greeneville, TN 37744.
PH: 423-638-6971
www.citygaragemuseum.com

This 1967 Shelby GT 500 is one of the vehicles on loan to the museum. Courtesy of Leroy Drittler

The favorite car in the museum for Ken Cobble, one of the museum hosts, is this 1941 Plymouth. Ken said he was raised riding in the backseat of an old Plymouth, and it brings back childhood memories. Courtesy of Leroy Drittler

This unrestored Pontiac hardtop was sold new in the spring of 1952 by Bewley Motor Co., the dealership founded by the museum founder’s father. Its straight-eight engine is coupled to the $178-optional Hydra-Matic automatic transmission. Courtesy of Leroy Drittler

Owned by the museum and never titled is this 1972 DeTomaso Pantera. It has a 351 Cleveland V-8 with a 5-speed transmission and just 4,927 miles. Courtesy of Leroy Drittler

This Riviera convertible is one of only 400 made in 1985 after which Riviera convertibles were discontinued. Courtesy of Leroy Drittler

This Willys Jeep Dispatcher was purchased new by a supply company and used as a delivery vehicle. It has 2-wheel drive, an L-4 60-hp engine and a 3-speed transmission. Courtesy of Leroy Drittler

An unusual find is this rear-engined, air-cooled, 1970 Subaru 360 with suicide doors. It has a 2-cylinder, 2-stroke engine rated at 25 hp, a 4-speed transmission, and rides on 10-in. tires. It weighs only 1,000 lbs. and is representative of the first Subarus sold in the United States. Courtesy of Leroy Drittler

This big hulk of a race car is a 1915 Van Blerck Speedster and is on loan to the museum. It is the only example ever created and has a 200-hp six-cylinder engine that has powered it to over 100 mph, which has to be absolutely terrifying. Courtesy of Leroy Drittler

A shiny, clear-coat finish covers the patina on this 1964 Ford F-100 Flareside shop truck. Courtesy of Leroy Drittler

The future is undecided for this Knoxville Trolley car that is parked beside the museum. Courtesy of Leroy Drittler

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City Garage Auto Museum Tennessee museum

From New to old: Tennessee’s City Garage Auto Museum

Former Dodge-Plymouth dealership now houses museum. A trip to Tennessee’s City Garage Auto Museum