Quantcast
Jump to content
  • Join the TowForce community.

    It looks like you're not logged in. Register to get started and to receive Tower Down Notices.

3 In Your Town: International Towing Museum (TN)


Recommended Posts

 

The history of the tow truck begins in the city of Chattanooga, Tennessee.

 

"The friend of the guy who invented the tow truck, Ernest Holmes Sr., he had flipped his car over in the Chickamauga Creek, explains Nyle Vincent of the International Towing Museum. “He had to call up about 12 friends of his to help pull the car out. There was very little equipment available to go recover a vehicle. So they spent the entire day out there. So by the time he got back to the shop, he was like, there's got to be an easier way. There's got to be an easier way."

Ernest Holmes Sr. spent months at the drawing board, developing plans for the world's first tow truck. By 1919, the Holmes 485 was born. A chassis that sported a metal tube framework, pulleys, wires, outriggers and hooks. It was an invention that would change everything automotive. And it is that invention that is celebrated here at The International Towing Museum on Chattanooga’s south side.

 

"We house antique tow trucks, says Vincent. “We display the history of the tow truck, and how it's impacted the world."

 

In this museum, you'll find tow trucks of every size and every speed. You can explore the uniqueness of the designs and get an insight into the engineering that has evolved over the past one hundred years.

 

Each truck here has a story.

 

One of the museum’s more popular attractions is a tow truck used on the beaches of Normandy, France.

"It was part of the Red Ball Express, which was the supply chain during the War. This particular truck was in Normandy and had suffered some damage as the War went on, and it was left in France. Eventually, it was recovered, restored and then brought back over here. It's the only truck in our collection that currently does not run because it still has some of the original battle damage, which is pretty neat."

 

Nyle says since his time working at the museum, many drivers in the industry have come by to show their appreciation for this unique museum.

"I've gotten to meet a lot of towers that have come in on a regular basis. First of all, they are very appreciative that we have this museum here because it's honoring their industry. We have the wall of the fallen out front that commemorates the drivers that pass away each year. The current stat is that it's one tow truck driver that is lost every 6 to 10 days. Because it's extremely dangerous, issues with cell phones, etc. So it just takes a hard-working, determined individual handling that type of thing because it's extremely dangerous."

 

To plan a visit and find out about times of operation and admission, visit their website.

 

RESOURCE LINK

 

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.

Guest
Unfortunately, your content contains terms that we do not allow. Please edit your content to remove the highlighted words below.
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
×
  • Create New...
Please Sign In or Sign Up