A 1930 Packard 730 Roadster is shown above. (Credit: ClassicCars.com)

By Ken Drenten

Ohio has its share of automobile museums, two of which are devoted to the Packard Motor Car Company, which manufactured automobiles between 1899 and 1958.

Packards had a reputation as high-quality, luxurious automobiles – a symbol of prestige and fine living. Packards were mainly built in Detroit, Mich., and South Bend, Ind. So why are there two Packard museums in Ohio?

The company was founded by two Packard brothers, James and William, and co-partner George Weiss in Warren, Ohio, where the company’s first 400 automobiles were built from 1899 to 1903.

An infusion of investment brought about the company’s move to Detroit, and the company moved its car production there in in 1903. Packard eventually developed a 3.5-million square foot manufacturing plant on more than 40 acres of land in Detroit.

Through two world wars and the Great Depression, Packard thrived and survived, making luxury cars and reliable trucks, as well as fighter aircraft engines and patrol torpedo boat engines during World War II.

During its history, Packard developed a number of automotive innovations, including the modern steering wheel, air-conditioning in a passenger car, one of the first V-12 engines for passenger car use, hydraulic shock absorbers that could be adjusted from within the car and torsion level suspension.

After the war, Packard struggled to compete with GM, Ford and Chrysler. The company largely mishandled the market pressures of the postwar boom, which created huge demand for varied types of vehicles that could take advantage of rapidly changing automotive technologies.

In 1954, Packard bought the South Bend-based Studebaker Corp. to create the fourth-largest car company in the U.S., Studebaker Packard Corp.

But the post-merger vehicles were seen as old-fashioned and stodgy and largely failed to resonate with the buying public. Within four years the Packard line of automobiles was retired. The company struggled on until 1966, when Studebaker also ceased automobile manufacturing operations.

Which brings us to Ohio’s two Packard museums.

America’s Packard Museum in Dayton is located in a building with strong ties to Packard, the Citizens Motorcar Company. The building was used as a Packard distributorship starting in 1917. The Art Deco building was restored and opened as a museum in 1992. It has since been recognized as one of the top automotive museums in the U.S.

More than 50 Packards are on display at America’s Packard Museum, along with war-era engines, parts and accessories and original sales, service and corporate literature. The museum is located at 420 S. Ludlow St., Dayton (937) 226-1710.

The National Packard Museum opened in 1999 and now is a 23,000 square foot complex located next to the W.D. Packard Music Hall and Packard Park in Warren, Ohio’s historic district.

The museum houses a rotating display of original-condition and restored Packard automobiles, engines, as well as original documents, photographs, artifacts and interpretive materials of the Packard family and companies. 

The museum, which also hosts classic car shows and educational workshops, is located at 1899 Mahoning Ave N.W., Warren (330) 394-1899.

Both museums are well worth a visit for the glamorous, innovative cars that are on display in both of them.

Read more about automobile-related attractions in Ohio at Dusty Tires.

Ken Drenten is creator and editor of Dusty-Tires.com, a travel blog for out-of-the-ordinary places in Ohio.

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