RE: Miller: King of the Race Car Builders Exhibit

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Seymour, Janet I - WHS (Janet.Seymour@wisconsinhistory.org)
Tue, 1 Jul 2008 12:34:42 -0500



Subject: RE: Miller: King of the Race Car Builders Exhibit
Date: Tue, 1 Jul 2008 12:34:42 -0500
Message-ID: <B46BC0C8F6373F43B0A84089442FE921014D98C1@MEWMAD1P0129.enterprise.wistate.us>
From: "Seymour, Janet I - WHS" <Janet.Seymour@wisconsinhistory.org>

For those of you who might be interested, the Eau Claire Leader Telegram ran a very nice piece on this exhibit in Sunday's paper.
  http://www.leadertelegram.com/story-features.asp?id=BH0FRUV9DT7
  Janet Seymour Field Services Representative - Northern Region Wisconsin Historical Society
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________________________________

From: localhistory-request@listserve.uwec.edu on behalf of Roy Ostenso Sent: Mon 6/30/2008 4:18 PM To: localhistory@listserve.uwec.edu Subject: Miller: King of the Race Car Builders Exhibit

Harry Miller: Automotive Genius Exhibit

June 21 - October 26, 2008

Russell J. Rassbach Heritage Museum, Menomonie

New exhibit features the "Golden Submarine" - an innovative streamlined race car built in 1917 for legendary race driver Barney Oldfield, on temporary loan from collector Buck Boudeman.

Who was Harry Miller?

 

Harry A. Miller was a self-taught machinist from Menomonie, who learned his trade as a teenager in the late 1800s in the shops that served the local brick and lumber companies. After leaving home he went on to be­come, to quote automotive historian Griffith Borgeson, "... quite simply the greatest creative figure in the history of the American racing car." An eccentric genius and engineering visionary, during his long career Harry Miller almost single-handedly transformed the face of American racing. His early success came with innovative spark plugs and carburetors. Later, his cars and engines dominated competition in the United States on land and on water for more than forty years. He was a constant innovator, pioneering the development of light alloy metals, aerodynamics, supercharging, both front and four-wheel drive and an amazing array of forward-looking ideas in automotive technology. Miller's cars won the Indianapolis 500 twelve times and machines powered by Miller or Miller-based Offenhauser engines won the big race another 29, not to mention 43 national championships. Within racing circles, he is widely known. Yet here in his hometown, he is largely forgotten.

 

The Dunn County Historical Society is creating this exhibit to honor the genius of Harry Miller. The center­piece of the exhibit is the "Golden Submarine" - that first streamlined race car - on temporary loan. This faithful reconstruction is built from an original Miller chassis and engine, and is valued at more than $1.5 mil­lion. The Golden Submarine has been exhibited in many prestigious venues including the British Museum in London. Exploring Miller's many contributions to automotive design will be educational panels, video presen­tations, and several artifacts describing his illustrious career, all of which will remain part of the Heritage Museum's permanent exhibits.

 

The Rassbach Heritage Museum is located in Menomonie, Wisconsin. From I-94 exit #41 South on State Highway 25, turn left on Pine Avenue to Wakanda Park. To learn more, call the Society at 715-232-8685, e-mail us at dchs@dunnhistory.org, or visit our website at www.dunnhistory.org.

 

 

Roy S. Ostenso, President

Dunn County Historical Society

1820 Wakanda ST

Menomonie, WI 54751

715-232-8685

Mobile:715-505-1110

 



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