Step Inside an Actual Packard Serice Center
The largest artifact at America’s Packard Museum is the automotive history museum building itself.
Take a virtual tour! Click on the image and come into the Museum!
The Citizen's Motorcar Company was founded in Cincinnati in 1906. In 1917, it opened a location at 420 South Ludlow Street in Dayton, in a building designed by Dayton architect Albert Pretzinger in the style of Albert Kahn. The building cost $80,000 and was built to be completely fireproof. The plans included options for adding three additional stories which were never built. This was not a dealership. Rather, as a distributorship, Packard Motor Car Company sold its vehicles directly to the public in Dayton.
The Service Department
After the Showroom is the Service Department area. Packards were known for their reliability and outstanding engineering, but they needed regular maintenance.
The Service Department has most of the original equipment and facilities. Look for the freight elevator (shown here) used to transfer vehicles. The Ohio Elevator and Machine Company replaced the original elevator in 1940, and after eighty years it still runs great!
How You Can Help
We tell the Packard story for this and the next generation. Maintaining original cars and original buildings requires financial support, and we hope you will join us. Please learn more about our stewardship guidelines, corporate sponsorships, or how to have a private event at the Museum.
Happy motoring from all of us at America’s Packard Museum!
