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1908 REO: The initials stand for Ransom Eli Olds. This is from the second
automobile brand founded by Olds, who was a pioneer in the development
of the American automobile industry. By the time this vehicle was sold, it was
nearly obsolete with its single-cylinder engine. This obsolescence may ac-
count for this car’s remarkable original condition and the fact that it runs.
While we do not give rides in this car, we do use it frequently to show visitors
how the engine runs, and we let them help us start it up. By 1908, the Ford
Model T was in production with its four-cylinder engine and other remarkable
innovations. Cars like this REO illustrate the relatively new antique auto-
mobile ethic, “they are only original once!”

“The automobile, then new technology, helped women assert their independence and transformed women’s roles in American society,
communities, and households. To assert their right to vote, women harnessed the power and reach of the automobile to spread their
message through automobile tours, parades, and cross-country publicity drives,” said Curator of Education, Jenna Beaulieu.

The exhibit will feature many stories of suffragists but focus on Alice Burke and Neil Richardson of New York who in 1916 drove
10,700 miles in 178 days in a 1916 Saxon motor car promoting women’s suffrage. A replica of the car and their roadside campsite will
be included in the exhibit.

All summer, the museum will also host a variety of fun events for the public including a monthly family movie night called Reels and
Wheels in collaboration with Bar Harbor movie theater, Reel Pizza; a Senior Mixer with food, drinks, and music; the annual public
appearance of automotive author Tom Cotter; monthly Cars and Coffee, when people can bring in their own cars to show off; Friday
Ride Days when you can ride in vintage cars; scavenger hunts and special programs for the kids; and the annual Car-B-Que, a barbe-
cue, concert, and car show event.

“We have so many fun things planned this year!” said interim director, Bill Barter. “We also have beautiful grounds that overlook
Acadia National Park; this is a great place for a family picnic.”

Seal Cove Auto Museum is open daily from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. May 1 to Oct. 31 then by special appointment only on Mondays and
Tuesdays Nov. 1 to April 30. Admission is $10 for adults, $8 seniors over 62 and veterans, and free for children under 18.

For more information visit www.sealcoveautomuseum.org or you can find them on Facebook and Instagram.

Nestled up to Acadia National Park on the “Quietside” of Mount Desert Island in Maine, the Seal Cove
Auto Museum showcases a superb collection of Brass Era autos, their stories, and history; and offers
programs and events that are fun, original and enriching. 47