Peoria-Area Community Impact Guide 2022-2023

WHEELS O’ TIME MUSEUM Preserving the past for the education and enjoyment of future generations.

1710 W. Woodside Drive Dunlap, IL 61525 Phone: (309) 243-9020 Email: info@wheelsotime.org Website : wheelsotime.org Facebook : @wheelsotimemuseum Instagram : @wheelsotime

OPEN MAY 1 THRU OCTOBER 30 Wednesdays thru Sundays and summer holidays; Noon to 5pm $10 adults $9 seniors $4 children Bus tours and group rates available; Blue Star Museum The museum operates with a few staff members and a very large group of volunteers. These dedicated individuals host visitors, provide tours, manage the gift shop, and help design and maintain the exhibits, buildings, and grounds. The volunteers come from all walks of life, but they all share a common passion for the museum and have fun while supporting this community treasure. We always welcome new volunteers. KEY STAFF: Laura Evancho, Executive Director Marcia Johnson, Site Manager/Volunteer Coordinator Jim Baldwin, Board President HOW TO HELP The Wheels O’ Time Museum became a 501(c)(3) nonprofit in 2017, allowing for tax deductible donations that have helped the museum to expand and grow. The recent capital campaign supported the construction of the new exhibit building and restorations to the Vonachen’s Old Place Pullman cars. Preservation efforts are costly. Contributions are vital and valued. Sustaining gifts may be made to the museum’s new endowment fund. The museum offers a variety of affordable memberships for family and individuals. Business sponsorship opportunities at different levels are available to local businesses.

VISION The Wheels O’ Time Museum is always building on its past. It is a museum that displays transportation, agriculture, construction and home artifacts. The primary purpose of the museum is to provide educational backgroundandhands on displays while serving as an attraction for visitors, donors and volunteers. WHAT WE DO TheWheels O’ TimeMuseumhas welcomed visitors since 1983. Our campus is on North Knoxville Avenue, near the limit between North Peoria and Dunlap. We have six buildings available to visitors. What makes Wheels O’ Time so special is its hands-on atmosphere. Most of the historical items on site can be touched and operated, which allows for an enjoyable and engaging experience for people of all ages and fosters an appreciation for our local heritage and past achievements. Our award winning New Exhibit Building opened its doors to the public in 2021. It is the home of a military display that includes a 1947 Aeronca airplane, several restored military vehicles, uniforms, medals and other military paraphernalia. The beautifully-restored 1931 Ahrens Fox fire truck is also displayed here, as well as a collection of vintage Caterpillar tractors. New this year will be the giant LEGO ®

exhibit “Bricks in Motion.” A multimedia room holds temporary exhibits – the 2022 display will be dedicated to Camp Ellis. A highlight of the 2022 season will be the opening of the former Vonachen’s Old Place Pullman train cars that were once used as dining cars at the restaurant. Museum volunteers have been working on their restorations since they relocated to the museum in 2010. Visitors can walk through them and enjoy a trip down memory lane. Spread between the Main building and the Firehouse we have a large collection of vintage automobiles and quite a variety of interactive andother displays: amusic room, typewriters, a clock room, two model train layouts, several local firetrucks, vintage bicycles, clothing, Ag Lab equipment, a 1940sWMBD radio station andmuchmore. The LeTourneau Steel House on campus is a historical building restored and furnished as the 1938 original house, and it is open to the public. DID YOU KNOW? Many of our displays are a result of collaborations with Early Ford V-8 Club, Heart of Illinois Fire Enthusiasts and Collectors, Peoria Historical Society and Central Illinois Landmarks Foundation, among others.

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