GBMAFC Annual Car Show and Picnic
Baltimore County Historical Society Cockeysville, MD
September 11, 2004

The Greater Baltimore Model A Ford Club (GBMAFC) held the club's annual car show and picnic on September 11, 2004. With the Baltimore County Historical Society (BCHS) as the backdrop, participants brought more than 25 cars. After a torrential rainfall the night before - thanks to one of the many hurricanes this season - the weather turned out to be pretty nice for the car show. The day consisted of peer judging, good friendships, awards, and, of course, lunch. We were also treated to a display by the Army and a blacksmith, various kids games, the fire department and police for safety tips, and even an owl made a visit. This year, Henry Ford was not our only special guest stopping by; he brought his buddies Harvey Firestone and Thomas Edison to give us a little wisdom!! After all of this time, they still look pretty good.

On a solemn note, the club paused for a moment of silence to remember the fallen heroes of September 11, 2001 and those that have perished in both Afghanistan and Iraq. It is hard to believe that is has been three years since that fateful day, but our country has endured and moved forward. It is nice to see that whatever befallens us, we are able to stand united.

You are welcome to click on any picture or link for an enlarged view

The centerpiece of the BCHS is the Almshouse which serves as the Society's Headquarters (see the left photo below). It was built in 1872 as the last County Almshouse. The limestone building was originally four floors on both wings and was established to accommodate the poor, indigent, and insane - no relation to Model Aers, of course. Built to house 100 patients, the Almshouse was a precursor to modern social services, and served the county until 1958.

Beginning in 1959, the Society supports the building and maintains an extensive research library and archives. The Almshouse serves as a museum and a living link to the history of the County. In addition to the Almshouse, the BCHS also displays the agricultural history of the County in a nicely restored barn on the property as shown in the right photo. If you look really closely, you can see a John Deere Model M sticking its nose out of the door.

Here some field shots of the Model A's that we had at the car show:

After lunch, we got to try our hand at judging the cars and people too. Here are some of the winners:

Car Awards:

Finally, a couple of special recognitions for this year. First, in the left photo, is the chairperson for this years event, Rob Penfield and his wife Bonnie. In the middle photo is Harvey Firestone, Thomas Edison and Henry Ford. The last photo was the star of the day. This owl made a guest appearance with his handler and trainer.

Here are some other pictures contributed by the members of the club.
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Last updated on October 24, 2004