Founded In 1989 By The National Corvette Restorers Society And Is Intended To House The Preservation Of Corvette’s History
The word “Corvette” sparks images in the minds of many Americans as a status symbol, an identity, and for many car enthusiasts it is a physical definition of the American Dream. Paying tribute to this key element of our nation’s history is the National Corvette Museum in Bowling Green, Kentucky. At a glance, the museum looks just like any other, but within its walls lies decades of history about Americas prized vehicle: The Corvette.
The museum was founded in 1989 by the National Corvette Restorers Society. Originally intended to house the preservation of Corvette’s history through a library and archives, Ray Quinlan donated his 1953 Corvette to the group under the condition that they would create a museum dedicating to honoring and preserving the history of the Corvette.
Katie Frassinelli, the museums marketing and communication manager for the last six years, speaks on the symbolic side of the Corvette: “It’s the car that people often dream about owning one day. It’s the car that a lot of kids [back in the day] had as a poster on the wall of their bedroom, or collected Hot Wheel and Matchbox cars of. It [constituted] the American dream”.
As notorious now as it was back then, the original Corvette was initially produced in 1953, and only 300 models were made. The original, all white convertible with red interior was placed in the hands of famous celebrities and astronauts in order to help them gain notoriety. John Wayne and Conway Twitty were famed to have owned one. Corvette even developed a program in correspondence with NASA where they loaned corvettes to astronauts in order to increase the exposure of the brand and as a token of appreciation for their service. Some astronauts in the 1970s, including Dick Gordon, Charles Conrad, and Alan Beam, who held celebrity status themselves, shared a love affair for the car.
Seeing their favorite celebrities and idolized astronauts in these Corvettes led kids to fantasize over the car. While many kids today see Corvettes and think of sleek race cars and high speeds, kids of yesterday saw the car as a way to achieve their dreams of becoming just like the men they idolized and looked up to.
While the museum is home to a variety of different infamous cars and artifacts, it is also home to a different type of notorious item: a sinkhole.
Swallowing 8 corvettes on February 12, 2014, the sinkhole was captured occurring in real time through the buildings security cameras. Unbeknownst to the museum, it was sitting atop a cave which created the sinkhole. Betty Hardison, an employee at the museum, was first to respond to the crisis after receiving a call from the alarm company at 5:30 in the morning. Upon arriving, she found the floor of the museum had collapsed into the earth. Her initial reaction?
“The alarm company called me to say that a burglar alarm was going off at the Museum. Once I arrived and started entering the Skydome building, I saw what I thought was smoke, and could smell gasoline and other auto smells. Then I saw there were cars missing. I didn’t immediately see the hole because it was dark and smoky, but when I did… I was shocked. It is not something you ever expect to see.”
Not something to miss seeing on your visit, the National Corvette Museum took what would have been a serious disaster and ran with it, making it an international phenomenon and key element of the museum where visitors descend into an almost cave-like structure.
“The car that we have on display that ignites the gasoline in my veins would be the 1963 Corvette Z06 Race Car,” reflects avid Corvette enthusiast & NCM Insurance exec Adam Boca. “This car is extremely rare with only 6 being produced. It was sent to a race team that converted it into a race car, and it ran the 12 Hours of Sebring in 1963. It has an extremely extensive race history and it part of the famed Gulf Oil racing pedigree. When this car is started you know it means business!”
Visitors can also head over to the motorsport track and ride co-pilot with a professional driver in a Corvette around the track. “Our track is primarily used for recreational and educational driving programs, but it’s always special to give someone their first ride in a Corvette.”
The only Corvette manufacturing plant in the world is also located right next to the museum. Guests can take an hour long tour of the plant and watch a Corvette being built from start to finish. Each corvette is assembled in the plant on an eight-hour schedule, Monday through Friday. For the truest of Corvette enthusiasts, and for the right price, certain buyers are able to witness their very own convertible being built in true form right on the floor.
With an eclectic mix of the nostalgic as well as new age and modern, the Corvette has transcended the test of time. The National Corvette Museum aims to offer a multi-faceted view for those both new and transfixed by its wonder while also offering unique experiences as to be found nowhere else.
Lindsay Roundtree
Pursuing a degree at the University Of Utah in Psychology, Lindsay has written for Underground Barber among others. She enjoys hiking, coffee and cooking.
Make Sure To Stay At:
Beech Bend Park, for an extended visit or family getaway. Featuring almost 500 sites in a beautiful wooded setting. Both RV and tent camping are permitted.