The Franklin Museum™

Press Releases

Sept. 25, 2004

On display the the museum is the 1904 Coast to Coast Franklin, this is the car that made that run in only 33 days.

To help celebrate the 100 years, the Franklin Automobile Museum has reprinted L. L Whitman's book " From Coast to Coast in a Motor-Car" The books has been reprinted just as they were printed in 1905. Now available at the Museum's gift shop for only $5.00, you can also order the book by mail for $6.00 including postage.

May 11, 2004

On May 8, 2004 Old Pueblo Touring Association, Inc. held there monthly tour, this month it was to the Brodes for breakfast after a tour. OPTA is the same group of wonderful people that helped keep the Museum open last year when Bourke was sick and I had my knee operated on. At breakfast Bourke and I had the opportunity to present one of the Museum Site Committee's members with the Foundation's only award the "It Can Be Done" plaque. Ron Franklin work very hard to help find a site in Tucson as well as worked with the committee on other sites. Below is Ron Franklin just after he received the Foundation's "It Can Be Done" award. Thank you Ron for everything you have done for the Franklin Museum!

April 22, 2004

1924 Franklin Model 10C 5-Passenger 4 Door Sedan. This vehicle is in original condition with 2,998 original miles,
it is now on display.

March 23, 2004

On Monday March 22, 2004, Adrain Taylor and his family visited the Franklin Museum and made a wonderful donation. Mr. Taylor (A Franklin owner and Club member) many years ago purchased a big part of Franklin history. In 1915 the Franklin factory and the Franklin dealer in Walla-Walla, Washington made a run of a 1000 miles to SF in a 1915 Franklin with the trans sealed in low gear and the engine running non stop. This 1000 mile run was recorded by telegrams, letters, newspaper reports and pictures.

The original telegrams, letters, newspaper reports and pictures were place in a very nice paper album in 1915 and saved, Mr. Taylor and his family donated the original album to the Franklin Museum. The Franklin Museum is very grateful and thankful to Mr. Taylor and his family. The Museum staff will scan all the papers and pictures, placing the original in the library and having CD's ready for future study. Below is Mr. Adrain Taylor and Bourke Runton (Museum Director) reviewing the album.

One of many letters from the Franklin dealer to the factory.

March 12, 2004

James P. Riser visited the Museum, here are some pictures he took on his Museum tour. Mr. Riser's pictures

October 8, 2003

1924 Franklin Model 10C 5-Passenger 4 Door Sedan. This vehicle is in original condition with 2,998 original miles. It is the lowest known original mileage for a 10C. The interior and exterior of the vehicle is in excellent condition. Interior color is gray and dark brown. Exterior is marne green and black. It is in excellent running condition. This beautiful Franklin will be on display at the Franklin Museum this fall 2003.

In 1958 John Bruzzone purchased the Franklin with 2900 miles on it, he stored it and maintained it for the 45 years he owned it. Placing only another 98 miles on the speedometer, this year (2003) John donated this wonderful Franklin to the Museum for the many visitors to enjoy. Below are (left to right) John Bruzzone, Sr and his son John, Jr. with Marlene Zimmerman, Chairman of the Franklin Foundation. The Foundation wants to thank John Bruzzone for this outstanding Franklin. A special thanks also goes to Byron Finney for all his help in making this donation possible.

To the left is John Bruzzone, Sr - on the right are John Bruzzone, Sr. and his son John Bruzzone, Jr.with the wonderful Franklin.

Now on display are two new items, a 1946 Franklin 75 HP aircraft engine and a 1939 White Horse engine, the White Horses engine is a running display. New for 2003-2004 season. Coming soon, a 1924 10C with only 2998 miles on it.

Picture of the 1924 10C are shown above.

At the 50th Trek the Franklin Museum showed off one of the many donated Franklins. This 1923 Coupe RBL was donated by Jay Barrett of Fairlee,
Vermont a few years ago. It is a very low miles Franklin with a Baker-Rauling coupe body.

The Foundation Board of Trustees enlisted the assistance of four individuals with appropriate backgrounds in areas such as architecture, museums, and knowledge of the current location and setting of The Franklin Museum in Tucson, Arizona to serve as a Site Committee. Their charter is to examine places in central New York (Syracuse and the surrounding area) and southern Arizona as potential locations for the relocation of the new museum. The Committee has been reporting to the Board and a final report, in the form of a recommendation of two or three sites for the Board to pursue, is due later this year (2003). At that point, the Board will go into greater depth in exploring the possibilities of the recommended sites and determine the future of the new museum. Concurrently, we are continuing our fundraising efforts to support a relocation.

The Franklin Museum is now displaying a factory model "Z" model

An exciting display is now at the Franklin Museum

August of 1904 this Franklin left SF and 33 days later it drove though New York City. It is on display now at the Franklin Museum, stop by and see this part of history.