R.C. Baker Automotive Museum - Coalinga, CA - Motor Vehicle Museums on Waymarking.com

The R.C. Baker Automotive Museum is part of a multi-building complex that covers a whole block along Elm Street. Unfortunately the museum was closed when I tried to visit but I was able to locate a nice writeup on the museum from RoadsideAmerica.com that highlights the museum's offerings here. A fellow waymarker highlights the museum here and takes extracts from the museum website and they read:

The R.C. Baker Memorial Museum, was the original machine shop and office of Baker Casing Shoe, later known as Baker Oil Tools. Mr. Baker purchased the building from S.R. Bowen in 1917 for $10,000.00. When the Baker Headquarters were transferred to Los Angeles in the 1930's the building was still used as a machine shop. It was donated by Baker Oil Tools to the City of Coalinga in 1959 to be used as a Museum, which opened in 1961.

In 1962, the first curator was E.E. Marker, until 1965, when Mr. Marker resigned, then in 1965 Martha Bandy Horine became Curator until her sudden death in March of 1972, then E.E. Marker took over as Temp Curator until a new one could be found, well the Museum didn't have to look far, because the Secretary Betty Acebedo would become the next Curator in 1972 she would hold this position until 1995 when she retired (she had been with the Museum since 1956), then in 1995 a new Curator was appointed which was Helen Cowan, until her retirement in 2006, that same year Stephanie McHaney would become the 5th Curator the Museum has had, and the Museum has been opened since 1961 that is 49 years.

The highlight of the museum is an authentic 1934 service station that was relocated next to the automotive museum in 2004 and remodeled to bring back the original vintage look and feel. The Richfield Service Station was recently designated a Fresno County Historical Landmark.

**NOTE** The museum's website is currently down, hopefully not for long.

Primary Vehicle Category: Cars Hours of Operation: Mon - Fri: 10:00 am - 12:00 pm 1:00 pm - 5:00 pm Sat: 11:00 am - 5:00 pm Sun: 1:00 pm - 5:00 pm Cost of Admission: 0.00 (listed in local currency) Physical address of Museum: 297 W Elm Ave Coalinga, CA Museum Website: [Web Link]

Visit Instructions:
To log your visit, please include a picture of your favorite vehicle in the museum. If you choose not to enter the museum, post a new picture of the sign or exterior, something so that we know you have been there.

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