Kutztown Holiday Tour features New Smithville car museum

The Friends of the Kutztown Community Library invite residents to join them on the 2012 Holiday Tour Extraordinaire.

“We call it the 2012 Holiday Tour Extradinaire because it definitely is something different,” said Tori Bieber of the Friends of the Library. The group hosts an annual holiday tour to fundraise for the library.

Held Dec. 2 from 12:30 to 5 p.m., this year’s tour focuses on the little old country village of New Smithville to tour a nationally recognized car museum, Old Spokes Auto Museum.

“The car museum is a hidden secret. People drive by but don’t know what’s inside,” said Bieber.

Featuring nearly 50 cars of unique and rare value, Old Spokes Auto Museum and the O. J. Fritz Showroom and Garage house mint-condition Hudson cars including a 1926 limousine, a 1934 Hudson 8 Roadster, a 1941 Woodie Wagon.

“These cars are beautiful. They’d be ready to be used in any Hollywood pictures,” said Bieber, noting that there are antique cars from the 20s, 30s, 40s and some from the 50s.

Bieber said the museum also houses a lot of memorabilia and the building itself has a lot of history. Being a private museum, she said that the Friends of the Library feel fortunate to be able to offer tours.

“It’s a unique opportunity to be able to see this museum,” she said.

Guided tours of the auto museum will take place at 12:30, 2 and 3:30 p.m. An array of hors d’oeuvres will be served at the Museum.

Attendees will also be touring “Oakwood Acres” which includes an 1810 manor house and a large hex-painted barn.

“It’s one of the loveliest estates in the area,” said Bieber, noting the unique architecture. “It’s a beautiful property but it also has a lot of history to it.”

A Victorian home, dated 1865, is also part of the estate and the tour. That home will be decorated for the holidays by Jackie and Daughter, and decorations and other gifts will be available for purchase.

Pinnacle Ridge Winery will offer free wine tasting and local wines are available for purchase.

All proceeds benefit the Kutztown Community Library. The Friends of the Library fundraise to supplement the needs of the library. Donations go toward programs, books and other needs not covered by the regular budget.

Emphasizing the importance of the library to the community, Bieber said a wide variety of people use the library for a variety of uses, from programs that encourage people to read in an age of technology to computer use for research to offering a place for community groups to meet.

“There are so many services that the library provides,” she said. Visit kutztownlibrary.org to learn more about the services at Kutztown Community Library.

Tickets can be purchased in advance at the Library or at Jackie and Daughter on Main Street in Kutztown or on the day of the tour at Old Spokes Auto Museum, 10399 Old Rt 22, New Smithville.

All proceeds benefit the Kutztown Community Library. For more information, call the library at 610-683-5820 or drop by at 70 Bieber Alley in Kutztown.