Tuesday, August 04, 2009

The Dumont Museum at Sigourney, Iowa

Mr. Morgan told Cliff that the best place to get Oliver decals is from some Iowa guy named Dumont. During that conversation, he also said we should take a little side trip on our way home and go to Sigourney, because this Dumont has a museum.

Wow. That's all I can say. And there's something there for everyone: An Oliver tractor collection; a garden tractor collection; a huge collection of old dolls; a Lionel train display that you could get lost in, it's so realistic.



And lots of Roy Rogers memorabilia, because these folks were lifelong friends of his, and still keep in touch with the family.

If you're ever going through Iowa, take a risk and step off the beaten path to see the Dumont Museum. It's only open on weekends, although I think they might open up for you if you called ahead.

Lyle works on his train display and restores Olivers and supplies Oliver decals for other folks doing restoration. His wife, Helen, makes shirts and jackets with the Oliver emblem on them; Cliff ordered a shirt for himself. I asked her how they find time for all this, and she said, "Well, we don't have children."

I guess that would make a difference, although their children would be grown by now, anyhow. If they had any.

It's lovely country up there, and Cliff and I saw some of the biggest farms we had seen in a long time.

2 comments:

  1. I've never seen one with a carnival.very neat!

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  2. You really do get to see some unusual things in your travels. I've heard and read about the huge farms in the midwest. The small farms around here would be put to shame I'm sure.

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