Model T Rally
On June 14th 2009 fifty-six Model T Fords and their support vehicles were expected to leave New York for a cross-country car rally held to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the first-ever cross-country car race. The first car race in June of 1909 was held as part of the Alaska-Yukon-Pacific Exposition (“AYP Expo”), held in Seattle at the University of Washington Campus.
The Model Ts - one from each of the 50 states and one each from South Africa, England, Ireland, Scotland, Germany, and Canada – will be using back roads across the country, mirroring as closely as possible the original route of the race. In some places, this is easier to do than in others.
In Kittitas County, Washington, the only route across the Cascade Mountains in 1909 was a newly-created dirt road still covered with deep snow drifts that June. One hundred years later, on July 9th, in order to keep to the original route as closely as possible, the Model Ts will be traversing Forest Service roads on their way up to Snoqualmie Pass.
Many communities along the route may not even be aware of the procession of Model Ts, but Kittitas County will be celebrating their arrival with bells and whistles – literally. A group of local vehicles - including a modern sheriff’s patrol car, a historic Ellensburg Fire Engine, a vintage Ford delivery truck, and others – will escort the Model Ts from Thrall up into Ellensburg, where there will be a short parade through the downtown streets starting at approximately 11:00. Following the parade, the Model Ts will be guided to Kleinberg Park, in front of Ellensburg’s Train Depot, where the cars will be on display for two hours. Starting at Noon in Kleinberg Park box lunches will be served ($10 adults, $5 children), the Kittitas Fiddlers will play, and old-fashioned childrens’ games such as sack races and egg races will be held.
The cars will then be guided out of Ellensburg, through country roads to Cle Elum, where a dessert will be served to the Model T Rallyers, sponsored by the Cle Elum-Roslyn Chamber of Commerce. From Cle Elum, the cars will again be piloted up back roads to Snoqualmie Pass, where a variety of festivities will be held jointly between King and Kittitas Counties. Offerings at the Pass include live music and an outdoor showing of the film “The Great Car Race” a film commemorating the 50th anniversary of the 1909 Ocean to Ocean Endurance Race, both of which are free to the public. Along with the movie and music a barbeque dinner will be served at the top of the pass ($17.95 per person).
According to Rally organizer Peter Bernhardt of Virginia, “you folks in Kittitas County have been just amazing – really great. We just can’t thank them enough for organizing all these events for us. Nobody else is doing anywhere near this much!”
Ellensburg events are sponsored by Kelleher Motor Company, which was established in 1911 and is the 2nd oldest family-owned Ford dealership in Washington State, and the Daily Record, who is celebrating its 100th anniversary in July. Organizations who have helped with the events include the Kittitas County Historical Museum, Historic Ellensburg, the Clymer Museum, the Thorp Depot Project, the Ellensburg Film Festival, and the Central Washington University Family Resource Center.
For more information, please contact the Kittitas County Historical Museum at 509.925.2778
Model T Rally
Date and Time
Thursday Jul 9, 2009
Website
Contact Information
Kittitas County Historical Museum at 509.935.2778
