The San Bernardino County Museum has received a generous donation of a 1923 Ford Model T Runabout Roadster from Dr. Herb Fischer Jr. and his wife, Cheryl, with the car arriving at the museum last week. The donation was initiated and supported by San Bernardino County Museum Foundation President Abby Flores and approved by the San Bernardino County Board of Supervisors.
Dr. Fischer had the car transported to San Bernardino County Fleet Management earlier in the month where the vehicle underwent careful inspection to make sure that it was floor ready. Due to its long-term stay at the museum, the car was required to have its fuel and vital fluids removed so that the internal components would not be damaged by chemicals in the fuels and oils. The Model T Roadster is proudly on display in the Pulp Culture: A Juicy Tale of the Orange Empire exhibit located in the Hall of History.
In 1950, Herbert and Mary Fischer purchased this 1923 Model T Ford Roadster to be used as a delivery truck for their business, Flowerland Nursery in San Bernardino. The pickup had previously served as a work truck in an orange grove in Redlands. In 1998, after the Model T had been stored for over 46 years, Herbert’s son, Dr. Herb Fischer Jr. and his wife, Cheryl, restored the pickup to its original condition. The restored Model T was used for community and school-related parades during Herb’s term as the San Bernardino County Superintendent of Schools. Throughout his ten-year tenure, from 1998 to 2008, the Model T has appeared in numerous parades throughout the County!
“The Model T Roadster has a lifetime of history in the County as it started out as a work truck in a local orange grove in the 1920s, a delivery truck for a nursery in the 1950s, and a parade vehicle for Dr. Fischer’s tenure as the Superintendent of San Bernardino County Schools from 1998 to 2008,” shared Curator of History Drisel Perez. The museum is thrilled to have it and to be able to connect our local community with its history.”
The San Bernardino County Museum is located at 2024 Orange Tree Lane, at the California Street exit from Interstate 10 in Redlands. The museum is open Tuesdays through Sundays from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. General admission is $10 (adult), $8 (military or senior), $7 (student), and $5 (child ages 6 to 12). Children five and under and members are admitted free. Parking is free and the museum is accessible to persons with disabilities. For more information, visit museum.sbcounty.gov or follow us on Facebook or Instagram.
The San Bernardino County Museum’s exhibits of regional, cultural and natural history and the Museum’s other exciting events and programs reflect the effort by the Board of Supervisors to achieve the Countywide Vision by celebrating arts, culture and education in the county, creating quality of life for residents and visitors.