When you travel through Fairbanks, it is easy to imagine life a century ago. Many people live in dry cabins (without plumbing) dotted along unpaved roads that wind into the forested hillsides, just like the pioneers of a century ago. The scenery, the cold and the long, dark nights haven’t changed, but the cars and clothes certainly have.
At the Fountainhead Antique Auto Museum, you can see the cars that have driven the back roads of the last frontier as long as there have been cars, and the fashions of the folks who drove them. This fascinating attraction is a real crowd pleaser, packed with gorgeous cars, perfectly maintained historical fashion and history lessons at every turn. Spend an afternoon in the past and learn about the history of Alaskans and the automobiles that got them around.
The Fountainhead Antique Auto Museum is located in Fairbanks. It is the most visited attraction in the area and visitors come from all over the world to see the collection of 90 antique autos and 100 fashion displays, all interwoven with historical exhibits. (212 Wedgewood Drive
Fairbanks, Alaska 99701)
At the museum, you can see vintage beauties like this 1918 Biddle Town Car. The museum displays autos from every period of Territorial auto history including the Brass, Nickel, Preservation, and Veteran Eras.
The museum holds rare cars like this 1898 Hay Motor Car, the earliest known American-made four-cylinder gasoline-powered automobile still in existence.
The collection features over 80 vehicles, including horseless carriages, steamers, electric cars, speedsters, cyclecars, midget racers and classic cars from the 1930s. These include such rare models as an 1898 Hay Motor Vehicle, 1906 Compound, 1920 Argonne and 1921 Heine-Velox Victoria.
The museum also has historical photos, videos and displays about the history of driving in the conditions in Alaska.
This shows the results of a glacier melting in the afternoon sun. Apparently this was a common occurance in the early days of Alaska.
One special exhibit honors Mr. Bobby Sheldon, the man who built the first car in Alaska. Sheldon had never seen a car but made his own with buggy wheels, bar stools, a two-cycle marine engine, some wood and tin using pictures from a magazine as his guide with the goal of impressing a lady.
Fashion is a major aspect of the museum and visitors enjoy both a regular collection and special exhibits of historical fashion. This photo is from "Beauty and the Bird: A Tale of Feathers, Fashion and Our Fowl Obsession," one of the special exhibits that the museum displays in the winter.
This perfect example of a Gold Rush era woman's summer dress is on display. Many Fairbanks residents wear fashions like this during Golden Days, the July celebration of the Pioneers.
