We are the First
Chapter in the Illinois Region to be Chartered by AACA National. Des
Plaines Valley Chapter along with Fox Valley and Waukegan Chapters were
given their Charter on February 13, 1959.There were earlier
Chapters that were an active part of the Illinois Region but until that
point in time none had been approved by AACA National.
DVC has a small but active membership that centers
around our President Lee Nelson and our Treasure Nancy
Nelson. Together they have guided the Chapter through many Illinois
Region events, hosting the 2004 Illinois
Region Swap Meet at Crossroads Chevrolet and Buick. Members from all the Chapters of the Illinois
Region worked hard to make the Swap Meet very successful.
Before the Swap Meet in January we hosted the Illinois Region Fall
Tour to Kokomo, Indiana in October of 2003. Lee and Nancy of course planned the whole
Tour which started out at a stained glass manufacturer. We Toured the
plant and realized how much is still done by hand. Adding the
different colors in the giant furnace and then literally running it over
to the press that flattens it into its own unique pattern, with no
two sheets alike.
We stopped at a covered bridge on our way to the
Elwood Haynes Museum located in the famous American inventor's home.
His first love was inventing alloys. In 1906 he invented a super alloy
called Stellite used in modern valve seats today. In 1912 he
invented stainless steel, probably today's most widely used rust free
alloy. He also invented the thermostat.
Next was a catered lunch at the Automotive Heritage
Museum that houses over 80 antique autos and a large collection of
automobilia.
We then stopped at the Grissom Air Museum. Inside
we could sit in the cockpit of a helicopter or a Phantom jet, while
outside stand nose to nose with a B-17 Flying Fortress or an A-10 Warthog.
Most of us ,after a full day of Touring, went back to
the Clarion Hotel to sit down and relax and have a nice dinner. But
not Mr. Larry Rizzo and friends. There's nothing we like to do
better than work on our car. As you can see Larry had a lot of help.
He was up and running by Saturday.
Saturday morning we are driving on some wet roads to
the Greentown Glass Museum but nobody seems to mind, there are some
Antique Shops along the way. The Museum displays glassware produced
by The Indiana Tumbler and Goblet Co. which was destroyed by fire in 1903.
It's no coincidence the number of Glass Houses that
found their way to this area. In 1886 natural gas was discovered and
with it the Industrial Age came to Kokomo, Indiana. They offered
free gas and free land to entice companies to move in.
Monroe Seiberling came to the area to start up the
Kokomo Strawboard Co., which became the Diamond Plate Glass Co., which
eventually became the PPG Corp. We toured his mansion on Friday.
Next up was the Fairmount Historical Museum featuring
two local boys that did good: Jim Davis, creator of "Garfield" the cartoon
cat, and James Dean. We then went to the James Dean Memorial Gallery that
contained thousands of items from around the world. We saw the James
Dean Memorial Park and drove by his grave site in Park Cemetery. After
lunch we went to Marion, Indiana where James Dean was born.
The Marion Public Library Museum was our last stop on
the tour. One of the exhibits was a 1952 Crosley Super Sport, built in
Marion. It was a very nice exhibit, it didn't take up too much room. Also,
in the Library parking lot, I found one of my favorite pictures of the
tour : Three Black cars parked side by side.
Then it was back to the Clarion to get ready for the
Saturday evening Banquet.
Here are a few pictures of members that attended the Banquet.
