What to Do in Forest City, North Carolina
I'm pretty sure that I was born in the wrong decade. I totally could have rocked those awesome bustles back in the Edwardian period, and I know I would have done well as an outspoken flapper. Or maybe I could have moved to California and danced around with flowers in my head in the '60s.
The only things I would miss would be my contacts, and that whole women-get-to-go-to-college thing. Missing out on college would have been a bummer. And I'd miss my blog, too.
Now that I think about it, living in the 21st century is pretty awesome. But that doesn't mean that I can't have a deep love for all things historical. Right?
While visiting western North Carolina, my dad and I put on some oldies and headed back into the past for one morning of our trip.
The first stop on our trip down memory lane was actually down a side street in Forest City.
We pulled up in front of a large white industrial building emblazoned with an appropriately retro neon sign:
.
My dad and I are both car geeks; I can remember him telling me about his father's Model A Ford from the time that I was really small. On road trips, he'd point out cars from the '60s and '70s and give his opinion about that make and model. He even had these miniature model cars that my sister and I weren't allowed to play with that stayed in my parents' etagere. Sometimes, when he was there, he'd take them down and let us open the tiny doors and make the small wheels turn. My favorite was the gull wing 1963 Mercedes 300 SL. So. Cool.
While my car tastes have changed since then (I'm now in love with a '69 Thunderbird and a 1958 Fiat Jolly), I still love looking at and learning about old cars. As we walked around the museum, my dad and I took turns holding Britton (who was way into the cars, too! She kept trying to climb into them--a girl after my own heart.)
While all of the cars were incredible, I definitely had some favorites. There's the truck that spent 40 years under Lake Lure (!!!) after the area was flooded. The kids of the original owner knew about where the truck had been left, so they hired some people to find it. And find it they did!
And here's Britton trying to sink the truck again. (At 18 months old, her driving skills leave a lot to be desired.)
There was also the police car used on the set of
The Andy Griffith Show
that was signed by Don Knotts. I never got into the land o' Mayberry that much, but I can always appreciate a good piece of television or movie memorabilia.
The museum has about 70 cars--some are for sale while others remain in the permanent collection. Two Bennett brothers (hence the museum's name) own and run the museum. They fell in love with cars while helping out at their uncle's Forest City Ford dealership. As they grew up, so did their car collection. At some point, they realized just how many cars they'd acquired and figured they'd share it with others.
I had the chance to meet both of the brothers. Even though they're both in their seventies, they're still hands-on with the cars. While I was there, they were jump starting one of the cars and moving it into the work space behind the museum. While they have help--there's a secretary that hands out the tickets and answers most questions, as well as mechanics that help with the cars' upkeep--the brothers are there onsite, talking with visitors and watching over their collection.
In the seven years since the museum has been opened, the yearly attendance has grown steadily to over 40,000 visitors. The museum's open Monday to Friday 10 AM-5 PM and Saturdays from 10 AM to 3 PM.
For lunch, we headed over a few streets to the
.
I forgot my poodle skirt but I still enjoyed my sub sandwich, fries, and sweet tea! My dad and I were amazed at the prices which seemed like they were out of the '50s, too.
Good food and cheap eats? Sounds like my kind of place.
Which past decade would you like to travel back in time to see? Are you a fan of vintage cars?
Start planning your retro vacation with the Rutherford County Tourism Bureau!
Explore more of Rutherford County, North Carolina!