(Where Gumbo Was #461)
Gumbo was visiting the interesting Back in Time (B.I.T.) Museum in the small prairie town of Youngstown, Alberta. I thought this was a hard puzzle, but congratulations extended again to GeorgeG, the only one who figured out where Gumbo was.
Youngstown is a dot on the map in eastern Alberta, off provincial Hwy 9, but is now home to one of the more unique tourist attractions in Alberta. Spread over 3 buildings, and with a fourth in the works, the museum displays an eclectic collection of artifacts accumulated by David and Jennifer Sugden.
(1968 Austin Pickup. Can be hand-cranked)
While it’s difficult to categorize, the collection features “historic motorcycles and bicycles, antiques, junkyard art, and vintage vehicles”. It’s a very broad collection but has been assembled by a couple with an eye for quirky and captivating pieces.
(This old bus is now a workshop and displays antique boat engines)
For the purposes of this blog, I’ve highlighted some examples from each of these categories. Please note that while I’ve included a lot of photos, it’s just scratching the surface of what the museum has to offer.
There are some custom vehicles on display….
Several snow machines and related aquatic machinery….
The highlight and pride of the collection is a large collection of motorcycles and bicycles, many rare and historic. If you like bikes, this is a place you shouldn’t miss.
There are a number of pieces of unique “junkyard art”, like these…
Lots of antiques around, some quite unusual and rare pieces….
One floor of one of the three buildings is filled with antiques to show what early 1900s homestead life was like…
There’s also a fallen rider Memorial, a display of indigenous artifacts, and so much more. But the highlight of my visit was meeting the kind couple behind it all, David and Jennifer, who spent a lot of time explaining details of their collection to me. To them, I offer my thanks for a memorable visit, and encourage you to visit them if you’re in the area.
The Museum is open during the summer months, Thursday- Monday 10:00 am to 6:00 pm. Cost of admission is $10.00 per person or $15.00 per family. Parking is free.
I end with the following prayer, posted outside the Museum:
