The Model T Museum has something interesting that I’ve never seen anywhere else. It’s a Tourist Kitchenette that would have been a necessity for anyone traveling a long distance during the early days of automobile travel.
Think about the days before modern automobile travel – no interstate highways or fast food restaurants and few hotel and restaurant options along America’s rural roads.
Made by Tourist Supply Company of Los Angeles, California, it has compartments for dry goods as well as cold items, providing a compact means of storing everything you need to prepare a meal on the road. It would be attached to the running board of your car and the front folds down with legs to create a table.
Ingenious, isn’t it?
I found this photo online to illustrate how it would look attached to the vehicle and opened as a table.
It seems there would be a market for something like this today. Think about the outdoor enthusiasts who need a way to stay organized while camping and nerds like me who wish to eat healthy while traveling.
It seems like everything old is eventually new again and a version of this little kitchenette would be great in the back of an SUV!
Want to learn more about my most recent trip to the Model T Museum? It’s a pretty cool place so you should click here and read all about it!
Great post 🙂
Very interesting! A piece of American history I never heard about! Nice post!
Thanks for reading! There are so many interesting things to see in this museum but I was truly taken with this piece!
I NEED THAT!!!!! So cute! So handy! So functional!
Right? I think it’s adorable and I love things that help me stay organized. ❤️
I want one – I wonder if I could fix one to the back of the Ratmobile..
I bet you could figure it out. I’ll expect to see pictures when you’re done!
It might look a bit odd – but worth a go!
Oh… who cares what other people think? Just make it work for you. 🙂
😀
I just saw this item on Chesapeake collectibles on PBS. It’s pretty cool.
Very cool! Do you recall how they valued it?
I just bought one of these and started a restoration on it, not sure if I should get it done over or leave it like it is, it is all there and comes with paperwork, found it at the route 66 yard sale in Missouri yesterday, had to have it.
How fun! Is it in decent condition? If so, you might just leave it alone.
already started to do restoration on it, going to get some help with it, have a blaster who is very good and a powder coater who is also very good, only thing that is left are the decals for the drawers.
That’s wonderful!! I hope it turns out well!
I have three of these tourist kitchenettes I started collecting them 20 yrs ago
Good for you!! What a neat collection!