A beloved museum in Wisconsin closed its doors for the last time over Labor Day weekend after nearly three decades in operation, but fans now have the opportunity to take a piece of it home with them.
Or drive one home.
Elmer’s Auto and Toy Museum in Fountain City was founded by Elmer Duellman in the 1990s and run by him until his death at 79 in 2019. The entire collection will now be auctioned the week of Sept. 17.
Duellman, who ran several automotive businesses in the area, was an avid car enthusiast with a private collection of mostly American classics he often shared with family and friends.
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Elmer's Toy and Auto Museum is located in Fountain City, Wisconsin. (Mecum Auctions)
His son Les told Fox News Digital that after taking part in a local historical society tour with some of the cars and seeing the positive reaction they got from everyone in town, he decided to open the doors to his warehouse and turn it into a public museum.
Along with over 100 cars are dozens of motorcycles, bicycles and one of the finest collections of antique pedal cars in the country, which Les said his dad started adding to fill out the spaces in the facility.
This 1927 American National Lincoln pedal car is likely worth over $10,000. (Mecum Auctions)
Elmer acquired over 800 pedal cars spanning the entire 20th century, with several especially rare ones from the 1920s and 1930s. Among them are a 1927 American National Lincoln with an estimated value over $10,000.
There are also a few designed to look like the Dodge Daytona and Plymouth Superbird muscle cars. Elmer had owned each of the real cars since he bought them new until he sold them just a few years ago to a fellow fan, with only 304 miles reading on the Daytona's odometer.
This Dodge Daytona pedal car looks just like a real one Elmer Duellman once owned. (Mecum Auctions)
Elmer had become ill and knew he didn’t have many years left, but wanted to make sure the cars ended up in the right hands. He’d also made plans for the auction, which is being overseen by his six children.
"It’s a celebration of his collection," Les said. "He wanted the cars to get back out in the hands of collectors and create great new memories with them."
This 1958 Chevy Delray is the car Elmer Duellman owned when he met his wife Bernadette. (Mecum Auctions)
Among the cars on the block today are Elmer's favorite, a 1958 Chevrolet DelRay with a very special meaning for him.
It’s the car he was driving when he met his wife of 56 years, Bernadette, who, sadly, is ailing and in assisted living today.
Bernadette and Elmer Duellman were married for 56 years. (Elmer's Auto and Toy Museum)
Years after he originally sold it, he tracked it down through seven owners and bought it back in time for them to go for a ride in it on their 25th wedding anniversary in 1987.
"It wasn’t your typical romantic ride by then," Les said. "One of the owners swapped in a 454 cubic inch big block V8 and a loud straight pipe exhaust system for drag racing."
Bernadette Duellman used to drive this 1959 Chevy Impala convertible. (Mecum Auctions)
Les said his mom still loved it and enjoyed all the cars. Her favorite was a white 1959 Chevrolet Impala Convertible with a black top she often drove that was always known as "Mom’s car."
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There is one vehicle that the siblings decided to hang on to, however. It’s a 1932 Ford pickup that served as the museum’s truck and was used as a hearse for Elmer's funeral, at his request.
Elmer Duellman's casket was carried to his funeral on the back of the museum's 1932 Ford pickup. (Brad Duellman)
Les said the town turned out and followed it in a long car parade, with some of the muscle car drivers saluting Elmer by doing burnouts, with prior permission from the local authorities.
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The auction is scheduled to kick off Sept. 14 with the toys and other accessories, while the cars and motorcycles will be hitting the block on Sept. 17.