FJ - Historic Brown’s Garage On The Mohawk Trail & The Model T

[FreighTer Jim]

Yesterday I visited with Mr. Walter Brown and his wife Maralyn at their home in Drury, Massachusetts.

They had donated a 1925 Model T to The MTFCA Museum in Richmond, Indiana and I was there to pick it up.

But the conversation never got around to the Model T once I learned Walter’s Father had started The Historic Brown’s Garage on The Mohawk Trail.

Here is a brief history:

@ http://theoldmotor.com/?p=137502

FJ

[FreighTer Jim]

The Brown Family has been in Berkshire County, Massachusetts for at least Nine Generations.

Stanley’s Great Great Grandfather settled in Florida, Massachusetts in 1810.

Stanley’s Distant Relative William White on his father’s side of the family sailed to America on The Mayflower.

Harold Brown was Stanley’s father.

He built Brown’s Garage in 1920 at the age of 21.

The original garage was made of wood.

That structure was tore down & rebuilt in 1941.

It too was made of wood & burned in a fire in 1964 - the present building was constructed of block.

Stanley began working at Brown’s Garage around 1944 - he remembers fetching water for the overheated cars & taking tires down to the creek to check for leaks.

His Father serviced many Model T’s in the early years - the splash oiling system would starve the connecting rod on #1 cylinder - Harold developed a system with another mechanic both working on the T to replace the rod in short order.

FJ

[FreighTer Jim]

Harold sold the garage to an Uncle.

Stanley bought the garage from that uncle sometime in the 1970’s and continued to operate it - here is a image of Stanley & The Crew taken in the mid 70’s at Brown’s Garage:

Stanley Loves Uncle Sam.

He has played Uncle Sam in local parades for many years:

FJ

[stan.maral@yahoo.com]

What a wonderful experience talking with Jim yesterday, we certainly covered many topics. He wants me to post some old photos of the Garage so I'll give it a try.
[attachment=4]#1 Browns Gar.1923 Harold E. Brown, Judson Goman.jpg
[attachment=3]Browns Garage 1945.JPG
[attachment=2]Browns Garage 1999.JPG
[attachment=1]IMG#10 Opening Trail with Shovels 1926.JPG
[attachment=0]IMG#9 Building Mohawk Trail 1914.JPG

[stan.maral@yahoo.com]

I should add that when Dad opened the garage in 1920 it was at the height of the Model T touring time. The garage is at the top of a steep incline up from the Cold River Valley and if the T's were low on oil they would burn out the #1 connecting rod. Dad said he and his helper could replace a rod in 30 minutes. He would send the defective ones to Springfield MA 100 at a time for rabbiting. Of course replacing bands was also a common repair.

Stan B

[FreighTer Jim]

Stanley lent out some images to the new owners of the Wigwam Summit ( locates a few miles west
of Brown’s Garage ) for their notecards.

I purchased a few on Friday - I am not sure if these notecards were inspired
from images supplied by The Brown Family:

FJ

[FreighTer Jim]

I wonder if these images at the The Elk Monument Information Kiosk a few miles west were provided by The Brown Family ?

FJ

[stan.maral@yahoo.com]

A big thank you to Jim for the safe delivery of what was our T but is now the property of MTFCA Museum. Jim handled it with loving care and we are so pleased with the service he preforms with the visit we had. Stan & Maral Brown

[FreighTer Jim]

Thank You Stan


FJ