The Boyertown Museum of Historic Vehicles will open its newest special exhibit Woodrow Wilson, President Electric: Harnessing the Power of Innovation in the Progressive Era on Thursday, April 10. This award-winning exhibit, which is on loan from the Woodrow Wilson House Museum in Washington, D.C., explores the many technological innovations that occurred during our 28th president’s administration from 1913 through 1921. The exhibit engages visitors with artifacts from the era, multimedia content, and interactive materials. Six different areas of technological innovations will be highlighted in the exhibit, including: medicine, World War I technology, household appliances, communication, entertainment, and transportation.
The centerpiece of President Electric will be the Boyertown Museum’s own 1921 Milburn Light Electric Opera Coupe. This exquisite example of an early electric vehicle is a similar model to the Milburn Electrics President Wilson’s Secret Servicemen drove. A proponent of electric vehicle technology, President Wilson himself did not drive an electric car, but his wife Edith did, albeit a Rauch & Lang. When President Electric was originally on display at the Woodrow Wilson House Museum, the Boyertown Museum loaned its 1921 Milburn for the duration, where it sat on display in the Wilsons’ garage. The exhibit and car will now be reunited again to tell the story of scientific advancement in our country during this time period.
The Boyertown Museum will also hold several special events throughout the duration of the exhibit to highlight different elements. President Wilson formalized Mother’s Day as an official holiday in 1914, and in honor of that, mothers will be honored with free admission to the Boyertown Museum on May 9, 10, and 11. Also during President Wilson’s tenure, the Lincoln Highway, the nation’s first transcontinental roadway for automobiles, was dedicated. On Saturday, June 7 at 2pm, Professor Fred Gantz of Harrisburg Area Community College will be giving a presentation on Lincoln Highway history. More events will be planned to complement President Electric.
Woodrow Wilson, President Electric: Harnessing the Power of Innovation in the Progressive Era will be on display at the Boyertown Museum from April 10 through Sept. 30.
This exhibit is organized by the President Woodrow Wilson House, Washington, D.C., a site of the National Trust for Historic Preservation. This exhibition was supported in part by a grant from the Institute of Museum and Library Services.
For more information call 610-367-2090 or visit www.boyertownmuseum.org.