<– Day 7 – Fri. May 10th: From Iron Mountain to Mackinaw City | Trip Overview | Day 9 – Sun. May 12th: Tuckered Out? Then Visit a Firehouse  –>

On Saturday morning May 11, we hoped to escape the cold of Northern MIchigan’s Mackinaw City by driving south. Our goal was Brian’s house in Fenton, MI, where he planned to take us out to dinner at the French Laundry (more on that tomorrow). He’s outdone himself with his generosity and hospitality, so many thanks to him!

On Saturday we drove from Mackinaw City to Bay City, then southward to Fenton.

Saturday’s first stop was the Antique Toy and Firehouse Museum in Bay City, MI. I can’t remember how I learned about this museum, but it was a wonderful treat.

When we arrived, there was only two other vehicles in the parking lot. We took a few pictures of the outside and headed into pay. When we stepped inside the door, the foyer was empty; there was no one was around to take our money. I yelled, but didn’t get an answer. I checked the door to make sure the open-sign said ‘open’; it did. I checked the prices and discovered it cost $7 per adult, but they were running a mother’s day weekend special, so Ann didn’t have to pay. Therefore, I laid $7 on the museum’s till and we began our tour.

Wow. Wow. Wow! There were toy automobiles neatly arranged everywhere. We’d later learn that more than 12,000 toy vehicles were displayed. Another 4,000 were awaiting display. As Ann and I looked around a man in a scooter and a young boy appeared, said hi, then went to the front. We told them we’d paid, and the man didn’t say much, he just continued to the front.

As we made additional progress through the different rooms a man in a wheel chair appeared. He was very friendly and began to explain the history of the different items. After a while, it became apparent that this wasn’t just a museum, it was one man’s collection: Jim Dobson.  The man who was helping us (I missed his name) pointed out one wall where Jim had placed signs related to some of the companies he’d founded or been involved with. It was a long list.

Jim Dobson and I talking about his companies.

The man on the scooter we’d seen pass us earlier in the museum soon returned. It turned out that was the eighty-five year old Jim Dobson himself. For the next couple of hours Jim shared his life with us. We talked about the fire trucks he’d owned (140 or more) and all the toys (16,000), all his houses, his companies, and his kids, and how much fun he’d had collecting his stuff. He was a local Fire Chief, of which he’s very proud, and performed as a clown for thirty-five years (Dobbie the Clown). He also taught at the Barnum and Bailey Clown College. He was a fascinating guy and his stories were never ending.

After we talked jeeps a bit, he also shared that he had a FC Fire Jeep that had been disassembled. He knew the man that launched the Valley Fire Truck Company. It was the one that did Fire Jeep conversions. He was interested in selling his FC, because he knows he won’t ever get to it.

After talking about the FC and my interest in jeeps, Jim volunteered to share an article he had back at his office (at a location away from the museum), so we agreed to follow him to his office. But first, he wanted to share with us a Destroyer (USS Edison DD946) he’d help get to Bay City. He said he’d give us a tour, but the gang plank isn’t quite finished yet. Here is a pic of this future Bay City tourist attraction that is only a couple minutes from the museum.

After visiting the Destroyer, we went to Jim’s office. He noted he didn’t just own the building, but the entire black from corner to corner (and it was a sizeable block)!

Jim was a pleasure to meet. If you drop by the museum on the weekend, you might be lucky enough to meet him also.

Here are a few more pictures:

Ann standing next to the world’s largest pumper truck. It was originally based in New York City.

This is the enormous pump engine.

I am lifting the hood of the oldest known running Fire Truck, a 1914 International. In case my mother is reading this . . . yes, Mr. Dobson gave me permission :-)

After the museum, we drove south to Fenton, Michigan, where our host Brian will let us stay for a couple days.

 <– Day 7 – Fri. May 10th: From Iron Mountain to Mackinaw City | Trip Overview | Day 9 – Sun. May 12th: Tuckered Out? Then Visit a Firehouse  –>