Category Archives: Press Release

The Iowa 80 Trucking Museum annually celebrates a truck in the collection that is turning 100 years old during the Walcott Truckers Jamboree. This year, the Museum is celebrating the 1926 FWD on Friday, July 10th at 2:30 PM. The event will occur in the main lobby of the Iowa 80 Trucking Museum and will feature cake and a special talk from museum curator, Dave Meier, about the truck’s history.

According to Meier, this truck is in incredibly good condition for its age. It still has the original tires, and the truck and auger still work. Like many of this model, this truck was purchased to drill holes for electrical poles. The auger has interchangeable bits, and only uses power on the way up; it relies on gravity and its own weight to push the drill bit into the ground. With this rig, you could dig 25 to 30 holes a day. By comparison, eight to ten men could dig about eight holes a day.

The Four Wheel Drive Auto Company (FWD) was founded in 1909 in Clintonville, Wisconsin by Otto Zachow and William Besserdich after the development of the first four-wheel drive car, nicknamed “The Battleship.” The company supplied trucks to both the US and British armies during World War I. FDW was a popular brand for many decades because they had a simple design that was easy to operate or repair.

The 1926 FWD is currently on display at the Iowa 80 Trucking Museum. Admission to the Museum is free, but donations are appreciated. More details about visiting the Iowa 80 Trucking Museum and other trucks on display can be found at www.iowa80truckingmuseum.com.

WALCOTT, IA – The Iowa 80 Trucking Museum is excited to announce that ground has been broken on a 25,000 square foot expansion of the exhibit hall. The new addition will house historic trucks and other trucking memorabilia. When complete, the exhibit space will total 121,000 square feet. Construction is expected to be completed by this fall.

The expansion of the Iowa 80 Trucking Museum will house never-before seen trucks in the collection, including but not limited to four Sterling brand trucks dating from the 1920s to the 1940s, as well as the highly anticipated 1948 Mack EWSQ armored truck that hauled coins for Wells Fargo. This truck was restored by our in-house restoration team.

The Iowa 80 Trucking Museum will be open for normal business hours during the construction, open Wednesday-Saturday 9 am to 5 pm and Sunday Noon to 5 pm until Memorial Day. Memorial Day to Labor Day the museum is open Monday-Saturday 9 am to 5 pm and Sunday from Noon to 5 pm. Admission to the Iowa 80 Trucking Museum is free. Group tours and field trips are also welcomed and can be scheduled through the museum’s website. For more information, visit www.iowa80truckingmuseum.com.

WALCOTT, IA – The 1925 Kenworth is one of three trucks joining the Centenarian Club this year. The Iowa 80 Trucking Museum also showcases an International water tanker and a Douglas with a well drilling rig from 1925. Both of the later trucks are unrestored and in original condition.

The 1925 International was owned and used by the city of Menomonie, Wisconsin as a street washing truck until 1957. Even though electric starters had been invented by then, this truck still has a crank start and no pump on the tanker. The tank holds 750 gallons of water, and relies on gravity to empty the tank.

The 1925 Douglas is one of six known in existence. Douglas Truck Manufacturing Company, of Omaha, Nebraska, was only in business between 1918 and 1935,and produced a relatively low number of trucks. This truck is a great example of American ingenuity and engineering, as the drilling rig was adapted to operate on the back of this truck, and the truck has been modified to power the drilling rig. The man who built this truck would drive to the well site, disconnect the drive saft from the rear truck axle, and connect it to the drilling rig. It could take up to six weeks to drill a well using equipment like this.

Iowa 80 Trucking Museum Curator, Dave Meier, said that the museum’s 1925 Kenworth KS 3-Ton was discovered two blocks from the Microsoft Headquarters building in Redmond, Washington. Kenworth was originally founded as Gerlinger Motor Car Works in Portland, Oregon in 1912, and incorporated as Kenworth Motor Truck Company in 1923. The Pacific Northwest region where Kenworth trucks were assembled was logging country, and many KS models were used in this industry. In a previous life, this truck was used by a construction company to haul dynamite. According to the former owners of the truck, this is the earliest KS model in existence. The serial number is 2012.

Come and celebrate the 100th birthday of the 1925 Kenworth KS 3-Ton, the International Water Tanker, and the Douglas well drilling truck at the Iowa 80 Trucking Museum this year. Admission to the museum is free, and more information about our various truck and trucking memorabilia exhibits can be found at www.iowa80truckingmuseum.com.

Walcott, IA – The Iowa 80 Trucking Museum is celebrating 100 years of trucking this year with its 1924 White Wrecker that is on permanent display. This famous truck has been part of the Iowa 80 collection since 1992. In 1991, this 1924 White Model 40 wrecker graced the silver screen in the film Fried Green Tomatoes. The truck is featured in a scene pulling a car, identified as Ruth’s husband’s, from the river after he goes missing.

White is one of the few truck companies that made all their own parts. At the time when this truck was manufactured, most companies just bought parts and assembled them. White was a very diverse company. They manufactured cars, trucks, sewing machines, bicycles and more. Eventually, the company was purchased by Freightliner and dissolved. Only 1,443 Model 40 trucks were produced in 1924. This truck is powered by a White 4-Cylinder 371 cubic inch engine. It was made in-house by White at their Cleveland, Ohio, factory and paired with a 4-speed transmission. Although this truck has four gears, the top speed is only 15 miles per hour due to the gear ratio.

This truck is currently on display at the Iowa 80 Trucking Museum. Admission to the Museum free, but donations are appreciated. More details about visiting the Iowa 80 Trucking Museum and other trucks on display can be found at www.iowa80truckingmuseum.com.

MUSEUM WEEK (JUNE 11-18, 2022)

QC, THAT’S WHERE THERE’S A MUSEUM FOR EVERYONE!

Big and small, our Quad Cities’ museums are packed full of adventure, discovery, and fun. There is a museum in the QC to meet everyone’s

interests, from art, science, and technology, to local, national, and world history. There are exhibits and stories just waiting for you to discover.

2023 marks the 8th year of Quad Cities Museum Week. It’s all about celebrating our region’s museums, unique collections, and importance to the QC.

During Quad Cities Museum Week, local museums offer discounts, special events/exhibits, or tours, making it the perfect time for families and friends to get out and explore.

The Quad Cities is home to more than ten museums. Each one offers something completely different to appeal to various audiences and ages.

Come on out and explore! Post your Museum Week experiences on social media using #QCMuseumWeek.

New this year, pick up a Museum Week Pass at any museum and have it stamped when you visit a museum during this special celebration.  Visit up to 3 museums and drop your pass in the

provided boxes that will be available at every museum.  Three lucky winners will be drawn to receive a QC Museum Week gift basket.

Find out more at www.qcmuseumweek.com.

Iowa 80 Trucking Museum’s Great Traveler Reviews Earn it a Place Among Travelers’ Favorites.

WALCOTT, IOWA – August 23, 2021 – Iowa 80 Trucking Museum today announced it has been recognized as a 2021 Travelers’ Choice award winner for Worldwide Attractions.  This achievement celebrates businesses that consistently deliver fantastic experiences to travelers around the globe, having earned great traveler reviews on Tripadvisor over the last 12 months. As challenging as the past year was, Iowa 80 Trucking Museum stood out by continuously delighting travelers.

“Congratulations to all the winners of the 2021 Travelers’ Choice Awards,” said Kanika Soni, Chief Commercial Officer at Tripadvisor. “I know the past year has been extremely challenging for tourism businesses. What has impressed me is how businesses adapted to these challenges, implementing new cleanliness measures, adding social distancing guidelines, and utilizing technology to prioritize guest safety. The Travelers’ Choice Awards highlight the places that are consistently excellent – delivering quality experiences time and time again even while navigating changing customer expectations and new ways of working. Based on a full year of reviews from customers, this award speaks to the great service and experience you provided guests in the midst of a pandemic.”

To see traveler reviews of Iowa 80 Trucking Museum, visit  https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g38490-d1553312-Reviews-Iowa_80_Trucking_Museum-Walcott_Iowa.html

About Iowa 80 Trucking Museum

The Iowa 80 Trucking Museum was a dream of Iowa 80 Truckstop founder Bill Moon. His love for trucks and the trucking industry laid the foundation for this museum. Over 100 vintage trucks are on display, as well as antique signs, gas pumps and other trucking related artifacts. The museum also features the REO Theatre where visitors can enjoy watching films about trucks and trucking. Iowa 80 Trucking Museum’s mission is to preserve and celebrate trucking history.

About Tripadvisor

Tripadvisor, the world’s largest travel platform*, helps hundreds of millions of travelers each month** make every trip their best trip. Travelers across the globe use the Tripadvisor site and app to browse more than 878 million reviews and opinions of 8.8 million accommodations, restaurants, experiences, airlines and cruises. Whether planning or on a trip, travelers turn to Tripadvisor to compare low prices on hotels, flights and cruises, book popular tours and attractions, as well as reserve tables at great restaurants. Tripadvisor, the ultimate travel companion, is available in 49 markets and 28 languages.

The subsidiaries of Tripadvisor, Inc. (NASDAQ:TRIP), own and operate a portfolio of travel media brands and businesses, operating under various websites and apps, including the following websites:

www.bokun.io, www.cruisecritic.com, www.flipkey.com, www.thefork.com (including www.lafourchette.com, www.eltenedor.com, www.bookatable.co.uk, and www.delinski.com), www.helloreco.com, www.holidaylettings.co.uk, www.housetrip.com, www.jetsetter.com, www.niumba.com, www.seatguru.com, www.singleplatform.com, www.vacationhomerentals.com, and www.viator.com.

*  Source: SimilarWeb, September 2020

** Source: Tripadvisor internal log files

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Visit Quad Cities and area museums have teamed up again for Quad Cities Museum Week.  After taking a hiatus during the pandemic last June, the annual celebration is back again for its fifth year on June 6-13, 2021.  For all the details go to www.qcmuseumweek.com.

Museums throughout the Quad Cities region will welcome visitors with activities, new exhibits, discounted admissions, tours, special programs, and more.

“We’re back and ready for visitors.  This year, 14 museums are participating in Quad Cities Museum Week as we celebrate science, art, history, and discovery,” says Charlotte Doehler-Morrison, Vice President Marketing & Communications, Visit Quad Cities.  “Each museum offers something completely different and appeals to a variety of audiences and ages.  It’s the perfect time to get out with family and friends and try something different.”

Area museums encourage visitors to post about their museum experiences on social media using the hashtag #QCMUSEUMWEEK.

 This year’s QC Museum Week participants include the following specials and more information on each museum can be found at www.qcmuseumweek.com.

• Bix Beiderbecke Museum & Archives – Complimentary admission.
• Butterworth Center & Deere-Wiman House – Complimentary programs, tours and a special exhibit “Out of the Attic”, featuring artifacts rarely seen before.
• Cody Homestead – Mention “Museum Week” and receive buy-one-get one free admission.
• Dan Nagle Walnut Grove Pioneer Village – Complimentary admission and live demonstrations of old world crafts on Friday, June 11 from 1 to 4 p.m.
• Davenport School Museum – Complimentary admission and two new window displays on “Legends of Track” and “Original 14 Elementary Schools” including photos, copper plates, and historical data.
• Family Museum – New Storyland exhibit.
• Figge Art Museum –Special activities, tours, and exhibits.
• German American Heritage Center – Complimentary admission includes entry to their main permanent gallery and their rotating galleries.
• Hauberg Estate – Complimentary Behind the Scenes tours during select dates.
• Iowa 80 Trucking Museum – Complimentary admission, 10% off gift shop purchases, and an amazing collection of antique trucks.
• John Hauberg Indian Museum – Complimentary admission and scavenger hunt with prizes.
• Karpeles Manuscript Museum – Complimentary admission, scavenger hunt with prizes, and new Abraham Lincoln as a Boy exhibit.
• Putnam Museum & Science Center – Discounted $5 admission.
• The Sawmill Museum – Buy-one-get-one-free admission & free pine seed packets while supply lasts.

QC Museum Week was created by a collaboration between area museums and Visit Quad Cities and was first launched in 2015.  The event is designed to showcase the wealth of museums in the Quad Cities region and to create a greater awareness of what each museum has to offer to a variety of audiences.  For information on QC Museum Week, go to www.qcmuseumweek.com

About Visit Quad Cities

Founded in 1990, Visit Quad Cities is the official Destination Management and Marketing Organization (DMMO) for the region.  Visit Quad Cities is a private 501(c)(6) non-profit engine charged with driving economic opportunity through tourism, building our authentic brand, telling & selling the Quad Cities story, and enhancing Quad Citizens’ quality of life and quality of place. www.visitquadcities.com

Iowa 80 Trucking Museum will host a 100th Birthday party for two of its 1919 trucks on Friday, July 12th at 2:30 pm; a 1919 International Model F1 and a 1919 Pierce Arrow The event will coincide with this year’s Walcott Truckers Jamboree, July 11-13.  The public is welcome to attend the celebration.

“The 1919 International is the first truck Bill Moon ever purchased”, says Dave Meier, museum curator. “He kept the truck at his house under the car port. His kids played on it and Bill drove it in many parades. It was the truck that started his love of collecting.”

It’s important to note that that same model of truck was the first to climb Pike’s Peak.  1,591 of these trucks were produced. The truck has a top speed of 17 MPH.

Then the 1919 Pierce Arrow was purchased, it looked nothing like it does today. The truck has been completely restored. It is a crank start, has solid rubber tires and a worm drive. The dump bed is hydraulic.

According to Meier, “By 1919 Pierce Arrow already a history of building luxury cars, but there was nothing luxurious about this 1919 Pierce Arrow truck. It performed well and held up under heavy use, but there was definitely no luxury involved.”

Red Sovine released the song “Phantom 309” in 1967, almost a decade before CB truckin’ songs became super popular. It’s about a haunted 18-wheeler. The song is a first-person narrative by a hitchhiker who’s trying to return home from the West Coast. After three days, at a crossroad in the pouring rain, he flags down a tractor-trailer driven by a guy named “Big Joe.”

Big Joe drives through the night and drops the narrator at a truck stop, flipping him a dime for a cup of coffee before heading off into the darkness.

The narrator walks into the truck stop and talks to the waitress about Big Joe’s generosity. She lets him know that he was picked up by a “ghost driver,” and that ten years earlier, at the very same intersection where he was picked up, Big Joe swerved to avoid hitting a school bus full of children. He lost control of the truck and was killed in the wreck.

Tommy Faile wrote the lyrics to Sovine’s single in 1966. The song was covered by dozens of artists afterward, including Jack Bond, Dave Dudley and John Waits.

Whether or not you believe the urban legend part about being picked up by a phantom trucker is up to you, but the story of the crash itself is true.

On January 29, 1963, John William “Pete” Trudelle drove a tanker truck to the Chelsea River Bulk Petroleum Facility north of Boston to load up on 4,600 gallons of gasoline. Trudelle turned around and started to make the several-hour trip back to Keene, New Hampshire, near the eastern bank of the Connecticut River, just across from the state of Vermont.

He started up Route 1, just north of Boston in Saugus, Massachusetts, on the Newburyport Turnpike.

The intersection of Route 129 and Route 1 in Saugus was treacherous. Trudelle passed under the bridge, where a blind spot impeded drivers as they went into a dip. Little did Trudelle know that there was a car stopped under the bridge, where it was waiting for a school bus to pick up children.

There was no way Trudelle could stop. Rather than plowing into the back of the two vehicles stopped, he crashed the tanker into the bridge abutment. Trudelle was unable to escape the cab as the 4,600 gallons of gas erupted. The driver of the car, Robert Mayer of Stamford, Connecticut, tried to escape, but was overtaken by the flames.

The bus was engulfed in flames, but the six children and the driver on board had time to escape. About 10 seconds after the passengers and driver got out, the bus burst into flames. The heat of the fire was so intense that steel girders on the overpass buckled from the flames.

The Iowa 80 Trucking Museum is participating in the Quad Cities Museum Week, June 8-15.

Learn more about Quad Cities Museum week and the other museum participating.