Located at 21565 Executive Pkwy, Elkhart, IN 46514. Just outside of Bowling Green, Ohio, the RV/MH Hall of Fame and Museum celebrates the history of the manufactured housing industry. It is open Monday through Saturday from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., and closed Sundays. Looking for a great stroll?
The museum’s mission is to recognize individuals who made the RV industry what it is today, and to preserve the history of the industry. To date, the RV Hall of Fame has honored over 300 individuals. Each is recognized with a plaque and photo.
The first class of inductees included Marshfield Homes founder Elmer Frey, Betty Orr of Orr and Orr interior design firm, and Wally Byam, founder of Airstream. In addition, the RV Hall of Fame has included the Spartan Imperial Mansion, which was the first all-metal trailer.
The museum’s second floor includes a large library. There are 20,000 books related to RVs, as well as 5,000 historical images of RVs. The museum also has a 1/24th-scale model of an RV assembly plant. The hall is split into several large areas, each displaying a different era of RVs. The exhibit ends with RVs from the 1980s. More Michiana
The RV Museum of America is a self-guided tour. Unlike many museums, visitors are allowed to enter the RVs, which makes the museum great for families. In addition to the museum itself, there is also a gift shop.
In the RV Hall of Fame, visitors can walk through more than fifty vintage RVs. These classic motorhomes are arranged as if the owners had just left. They are located among synthetic plants and camping equipment. There are also some amusing items. A plywood cutout of a 1950s teen boy and girl, for example, is propped against the door of a trailer.
Another interesting feature of the RV Museum is the Founders Hall. This hall features the most exhibits. Here, you can see the 1913 Earl Travel Trailer, the 1931 Chevrolet “house car” used by Mae West to travel from her home to the movie studio, and the first Fleetwood. Other RVs include the 1931 Studebaker Model M15A-28, which was America’s first front wheel-drive motorhome, and the 1931 Model A Housecar, which was the first RV produced by a private company.
The RV Hall of Fame is located on Interstate 80/90, about two and a half hours west of Bowling Green, Ohio. The museum is closed on Sundays. There are also plans to build a 20,000-square-foot outdoor rally area. The museum has a 65-foot pull-thru.
In addition to the museum, the RV/MH Hall of Fame and Library also hosts special events. In 2007, the RV/MH Hall of Fame and Museum moved to a new building, which doubled the size of its exhibit space. The new building includes a 65-foot parking lot, and plans are underway to construct a 60,000-square-foot event center. The RV/MH Hall of Fame, Museum, and Library is open Monday through Saturday from 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m., and closes Sundays.
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