Elliott Museum
Encyclopedia
The Elliott Museum, located at 825 N.E. Ocean Boulevard, on Hutchinson Island near Stuart, Florida
, United States, houses one of the finest collections of American antiques, decorative arts, baseball memorabilia and vintage automobiles that celebrate the Golden Age
of American creativity and local and regional history.
, and on November 18, 1961, was given to the non-profit Historical Society of Martin County, which has operated it ever since. Most of the memorabilia comes from father Sterling himself. Before the donation stearling held the world record for the greatest baseball card collection in existence. Its longtime director was the late Janet Hutchinson.
In 1991, on its 30th anniversary, over 500 people gathered for the museum’s re-dedication ceremony, complete with a presentation of the Elliott tartan banner and a ribbon cutting by Lynn Elliott, great-grand daughter of Sterling Elliott, as well as an exhibition of early automobiles from the Treasure Coast Vintage Auto Club and the Daytona
Antique Auto Racing Association.
Over the years the museum has expanded its facilities, public programming and members. The museum is often the setting for social events and sits among the residential and business community on Hutchinson Island.
The Elliott Museum exhibits consist of:
Stuart, Florida
Stuart is the only incorporated city of Martin County, Florida, on Florida's Treasure Coast. The population was 14,633 at the 2000 census. As of 2007, the population recorded by the U.S. Census Bureau is 15,964....
, United States, houses one of the finest collections of American antiques, decorative arts, baseball memorabilia and vintage automobiles that celebrate the Golden Age
Golden Age
The term Golden Age comes from Greek mythology and legend and refers to the first in a sequence of four or five Ages of Man, in which the Golden Age is first, followed in sequence, by the Silver, Bronze, and Iron Ages, and then the present, a period of decline...
of American creativity and local and regional history.
History
The Elliott, as it is often called, was built in 1961 by Harmon Elliott as a tribute to his father Sterling ElliottSterling Elliott
Sterling Elliott produced a series of successful inventions in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. In his lifetime he would hold over 125 patents receiving his first at the young age of 22. He was foremost an Inventor but also a successful businessman...
, and on November 18, 1961, was given to the non-profit Historical Society of Martin County, which has operated it ever since. Most of the memorabilia comes from father Sterling himself. Before the donation stearling held the world record for the greatest baseball card collection in existence. Its longtime director was the late Janet Hutchinson.
In 1991, on its 30th anniversary, over 500 people gathered for the museum’s re-dedication ceremony, complete with a presentation of the Elliott tartan banner and a ribbon cutting by Lynn Elliott, great-grand daughter of Sterling Elliott, as well as an exhibition of early automobiles from the Treasure Coast Vintage Auto Club and the Daytona
Daytona
Daytona may refer to:* Daytona Beach, Florida* Daytona Beach Shores, Florida* South Daytona, Florida-Motor racing:* Daytona Beach Road Course* Daytona International Speedway, a NASCAR speedway, which hosts:** the Daytona 500 NASCAR race...
Antique Auto Racing Association.
Over the years the museum has expanded its facilities, public programming and members. The museum is often the setting for social events and sits among the residential and business community on Hutchinson Island.
Mission statement
The mission of the Elliott Museum is to interpret and celebrate the genius of innovation, creativity and the historical events in Martin County and the surrounding region all within an environment of learning and discovery.Exhibits
In the South Gallery one can find an ever changing exhibit of art ranging from classic paintings to stained glass. In the North Gallery one can find the Studio at the Elliott. The museum offers art instruction for all ages and all skill levels.The Elliott Museum exhibits consist of:
- Elliott Invention Room The pass-through from the main gallery to the Automobile Gallery showcases a few of the inventions and patents of both Sterling and his son Harmon Elliott, including many addressing machines that revolutionized how large companies address envelopes.
- Automobile Gallery The collection in this gallery includes Harmon Elliott’s first car, a 1909 HupmobileHupmobileThe Hupmobile was an automobile built from 1909 through 1940 by the Hupp Motor Company, which was located at 345 Bellevue Avenue in Detroit, Michigan. Its first car, the Model 20, was introduced to the public at the Detroit Auto Show in February 1909...
, and the 1936 AustinAustin Motor CompanyThe Austin Motor Company was a British manufacturer of automobiles. The company was founded in 1905 and merged in 1952 into the British Motor Corporation Ltd. The marque Austin was used until 1987...
he carried aboard his yacht “Harmonelle” when in Florida. Recent additions include a 1927 4-Door Model T, a 1941 LincolnLincoln (automobile)Lincoln is an American luxury vehicle brand of the Ford Motor Company. Lincoln vehicles are sold mostly in North America.-History:The company was founded in August 1915 by Henry M. Leland, one of the founders of Cadillac . During World War I, he left Cadillac which was sold to General Motors...
Convertible and a 1957 ChevyChevroletChevrolet , also known as Chevy , is a brand of vehicle produced by General Motors Company . Founded by Louis Chevrolet and ousted GM founder William C. Durant on November 3, 1911, General Motors acquired Chevrolet in 1918...
Bel-AirChevrolet Bel AirThe Chevrolet Bel Air is a full-size automobile that was produced by the Chevrolet division of General Motors for the 1950–1975 model years. Hardtops in the Chevrolet Deluxe Styleline model range were designated with the Bel Air name from 1950–1952, but it was not a distinct series of its own until...
Convertible.
- The Soda ShopSoda fountainA soda fountain is a device that dispenses carbonated drinks. They can be found in restaurants, concession stands and other locations such as convenience stores...
This was a local gathering place where a soda jerkSoda jerkA soda jerk was a person — typically a youth — who operated the soda fountain in a drugstore, often for the purpose of preparing and serving ice cream soda. This was made by putting flavored syrup into a specially designed tall glass, adding carbonated water and, finally, one or two scoops of ice...
made up specialty desserts and soft drinks by adding soda water and sugared and flavored syrups. Every child and teenager looked forward to a trip to the soda shop for special treats that could not be made at home. Ice cream was a new phenomenon that could be made at home with a hand-cranked freezer. Fresh milk, sugar and fruits were mixed and frozen.
- The ApothecaryApothecaryApothecary is a historical name for a medical professional who formulates and dispenses materia medica to physicians, surgeons and patients — a role now served by a pharmacist and some caregivers....
This is the old English word for drugstorePharmacyPharmacy is the health profession that links the health sciences with the chemical sciences and it is charged with ensuring the safe and effective use of pharmaceutical drugs...
. In the 19th century, the pharmacistPharmacistPharmacists are allied health professionals who practice in pharmacy, the field of health sciences focusing on safe and effective medication use...
had to make all of the prescriptions by hand. The bottles and jars contained all of the chemicals needed to make up the right medicines for a particular illness. Pills were rolled in molds and cut to the right size depending on the dosage.
- The Elliott Bicycle Shop Bicycles were big business, both as transportation and as recreation at the turn of the 19th century. Sterling Elliott was a bicycle builder in Massachusetts who eventually used his engineering skills to invent automobile steering mechanisms. His patent on the “kingpin” made him a wealthy man and led to other inventions.
- The Barber Shop In small town America from colonial days until the early 1900s, the barber could also serve as the dentist and could perform minor surgeries. This barber has a special day for children’s haircuts. Note that he only pulls teeth on Fridays.
- Music Room This exhibit features music boxes, early phonographs and other instruments that older generations would have used for entertainment prior to the invention of the radio or television. Among the most popular was a little gem roller organ sold by the Sears Company for $3.50.
- Langford Exhibit This walk through exhibit features photographs, memorabilia and clothing from the estate of Frances LangfordFrances LangfordJulia Frances Langford was an American singer and entertainer who was popular during the Golden Age of Radio and also made film appearances over two decades.-Birth:...
, film actress, singer and local resident.
- General Store Before department stores, people bought clothing, food, household items, tools and even appliances at a local general store or country store. Local residents often gathered at the store to hear the latest gossip since It was also common to find the area Post Office in a corner. The creaky wooden floor and pot-bellied stove recall an era of small town life.
- Martin County History This large exhibit area (located on both sides of the aisle) is devoted to the pioneer families of Martin County, as well as the industries and businesses that have been located in Martin County through the years.
- Let’s Play! A group of toys ranging from model trains and dolls to books and blocks. This exhibit showcases many different types of toys that would have been seen in a child’s bedroom from the Victorian eraVictorian eraThe Victorian era of British history was the period of Queen Victoria's reign from 20 June 1837 until her death on 22 January 1901. It was a long period of peace, prosperity, refined sensibilities and national self-confidence...
to the 1950s.
- Elliott Dining Room This dining room setting showcases various pieces owned by the Elliott family. As evidenced by the opulence of the pieces, through the hard work, innovation and ingenuity of Sterling Elliott and his son, Harmon, the Elliott family was able to live very well. The table and chair set once belonged to the silent movie actor Fatty ArbuckleFatty ArbuckleRoscoe Conkling "Fatty" Arbuckle was an American silent film actor, comedian, director, and screenwriter. Starting at the Selig Polyscope Company he eventually moved to Keystone Studios where he worked with Mabel Normand and Harold Lloyd...
and was later purchased by museum founder, Harmon Elliott, for use in his own home.
- Auerbach Dining Room This is a traditional Jewish dining room from the late 1930s. Oscar Kanarek was one of the first Jewish merchants in Stuart when he established the Stuart Department Store in 1938. The Kanarek family and the Auerbach family have graciously donated many of the items in the dining room.
- Baseball Memorabilia One of the finest collections of signed Baseball Hall of Fame memorabilia outside of Cooperstown, New YorkCooperstown, New YorkCooperstown is a village in Otsego County, New York, USA. It is located in the Town of Otsego. The population was estimated to be 1,852 at the 2010 census.The Village of Cooperstown is the county seat of Otsego County, New York...
. Approximately 95% of this large collection is on display at any one time.
- 1943 Kitchen World War IIWorld War IIWorld War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
did not just affect EuropeEuropeEurope is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
and the Pacific. American homemakers had husbands and sons fighting in foreign countries and they had to cope with shortages, loneliness and a rapidly changing society. Our exhibit depicts a typical middle class kitchen with ration coupon books for precious items such as sugar, butter, tires and other rationed consumer products. This homemaker is a Civil Defense volunteer, trained to look out for enemy aircraft and submarines along the Florida Coast.
- Sterling Elliott: How he steered his way into the history books Sterling Elliott was an inventor, innovator and early civil and woman’s rights advocate. Several of Sterling’s wheeled inventions are on display in this area, including the Elliott Hickory Bicycle, the quadricycle, which has many features found on the modern automobile, and the Elliott Bicycle sulkySulkyA sulky is a lightweight cart having two wheels and a seat for the driver only but usually without a body, generally pulled by horses or dogs, and is used for harness races...
. The Elliott family lived across the street from the Stanley brothers, who used Elliott’s quadricycle as a pattern for their Stanley SteamerStanley SteamerThe Stanley Motor Carriage Company was a manufacturer of steam-engine vehicles; it operated from 1902 to 1924. The cars made by the company were colloquially called Stanley Steamers, although several different models were produced.-Early history:...
.