Detour to the Classic Motor Museum of St. Michaels

St. Michaels, Maryland, is justifiably famous for its maritime heritage, waterfront scenery, and year-round small-town charm. As you plan your visit to the Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum and the many delightful shops and eateries on Talbot Street, be sure to include another St. Michaels treasure, the Classic Motor Museum on Marengo Street, to your “must see” list. This museum draws classic car lovers from near and far. It’s small enough to be manageable for families with children, and its collection is sure to delight automobile buffs of all ages. 

The Classic Motor Museum, located across Marengo Street from the historic Old Mill, features an Amish-designed Exhibit Barn, the Pinkett House, and the Struthers Family Education Center. The historic Pinkett House, which volunteers moved to the museum site and reassembled, now serves as the museum’s administrative headquarters. The Education Center houses a Reading Room, a conference room, and the museum’s classroom space, currently used by the Automotive Technician Apprenticeship Program students for their weekly class sessions.

Classic Motor Museum Exhibits

The museum’s Exhibit Barn is filled with pristine classic automobiles dating from the early days of car travel to the post-World War II era. In addition, you’ll find motorcycles, trucks, vintage automotive memorabilia, license plates, and toy cars and trucks (look up — the toys are displayed on the barn’s beams). The museum’s collection includes museum-owned vehicles and classic automobiles loaned or donated by car aficionados. 

The exhibit changes every six months. According to museum Board Member Tad duPont, 22 cars are currently on display. Among them are a bright red 1915 Model T truck, a 1922 Packard Open Touring Car used in the HBO series “Boardwalk Empire,” and a 1917 Maxwell Model 25 driven in an epic 2016 cross-country journey. Informative placards explain the history and provenance of each classic car.

Remember to ask about the 1931 American LaFrance firetruck, currently housed across the street at the Old Mill. This firetruck is a St. Michaels icon, as it is a featured participant in the St. Michaels Christmas Parade and the museum-sponsored Memorial Day Parade.

Museum Activities and Special Events

The Classic Motor Museum has become a hub for local vintage car and truck enthusiasts, many gather at the Exhibit Barn on Saturday mornings for Cars & Coffee (outdoors, April through November) or Morning Brew in the Barn (indoors, December through March). This is a great opportunity to meet fellow classic car buffs and swap tips and stories. Check the museum’s Facebook page for information about themed Cars & Coffee events. The museum’s September 2023 “British Invasion” Cars & Coffee meetup attracted a crowd of owners and fans of British-made cars. Other recent theme days include BMWs, Jeeps, and Mustangs.

The museum puts on special events to support its educational programs. Recent fundraisers include the October 2023 Cannonball Run Scavenger Hunt, a timed journey through Talbot County, complete with a Talbot trivia quiz at the end of the course.

When St. Michaels puts on a parade, you’re sure to see some Classic Motor Museum members’ cars in the lineup. The annual Christmas in St. Michaels Talbot Street Parade features vintage cars, trucks and boats, marching bands, llamas, floats, and, of course, Santa and Mrs. Claus. Memorial Day weekend brings the Classic Motor Museum’s own Memorial Day Parade, which includes floats, marching bands, and an impressive procession of classic cars and trucks.

Automotive Technician Apprenticeship Program

The Classic Motor Museum’s Board of Directors, volunteers, and sponsors truly take the museum’s motto, “Appreciate, Educate, and Give Back,” to heart. The museum sponsors a state-registered Automotive Technician Apprenticeship Program (ATAP). This program includes paid on-the-job training at an approved automotive maintenance and repair facility, weekly classroom sessions overseen by a National Institute of Automotive Service Excellence (ASE) certified mentor, and the use of automotive tools and a laptop computer during the three-year program. Graduates who complete the program and pass their ASE certification exam will keep the tools, valued at approximately $4,500, and laptop. According to Tad duPont, ATAP is the only program of its kind on Maryland’s Eastern Shore. The museum’s immediate goal is to “fund [the program],” duPont says, “and keep it going. The goal for 2024 is to have 10 people in the class.”

Whether you have a vintage automobile of your own or want to learn more about historic cars and trucks, the Classic Motor Museum is well worth a visit. Off-street parking is available.

If You Go

By Nancy Parode