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HISTORICAL SOCIETY
DR. ARGUE MEMORIAL CAR BUILDING
Dr. John F. Argue was a local physician who practiced medicine for 47 years in Wilson, NY from 1937-1984. In a time when very few people had cars, he needed reliable transportation to make house calls ($1 per visit) and gradually acquired several cars. Dr. Argue's donations formed the foundation for the Society's impressive car collection.
* Cars owned by Dr. Argue are marked with an asterisk.
1959 Cadillac Model 62 convertible
Collectors love this car, with its huge fins and bullet tail-lights. As the old saying goes about convertibles, "when the top goes down, the price goes up"!
* 1934 Pierce Arrow model 836a
The first time Dr. Argue entered his Pierce Arrow in a car show, he was just hoping for third place. He was disappointed when the third place winner was announced, and again when the second place winner was announced. He was surprised and delighted though, when the first place winner was announced and he took home the top prize!
1961 Ford Thunderbird
The '61 Thunderbird was redesigned with sleek styling that gave it a futuristic appearance.
1969 Ford Mustang convertible
Dubbed a 'muscle car', the '69 mustang was a redesign of the iconic pony cars, with a larger body and luxurious interior.
1942 Cadillac model 63 sedan
Because the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor in December 1941, car production in 1942 was limited. Most car factories were converted to military production and only essential civilian drivers like doctors, police, and firefighters could purchase new cars.
* 1927 REO Wolverine
After selling his 'Olds Motor Company' (Oldsmobile), Ransom E. Olds used his initials to name his new automobile company in 1905 (pronounced Rio).
1919 Ford model TT stake-bed truck
This was the popular utility truck of its time. Wilson's very own Horton Hardware had one. Farmers would use them to haul their products to market, the cold storage or the cannery. (While Ford's car was named the Model T, its truck was named the Model TT.)
1923 Chevrolet stake-bed truck
Often referred to as 'hucksters', these wheeled convenience stores had removable side curtains for displaying goods and produce.
* 1904 Covert runabout
The Covert runabout was built in nearby Lockport, NY. This particular car was in the Henry Ford Museum, when Dr. Argue heard about it. He approached them and they only agreed to sell it to him because he was going to put it in Wilson's museum.
* 1901 Oldsmobile curved dash Olds replica
Dr. Argue hired Alfred Schultz, a local fabricator, to build this replica for him. Notably, it was steered with a tiller, not a wheel.
* 1914 Metz roadster
Dr. Argue acquired this roadster from another doctor in Johnson's Creek, NY and had it professionally restored.
1946 Chrysler Imperial sedan
The Imperial sedan was one of the first luxury cars made after the WWII. It had jump seats between the first and second row that were built into the floor so they could be pulled up for extra passengers, specifically children.
* 1957 Lincoln Mark II
This Lincoln Mark II is a classic example of luxury, high-end car that were being made during that era.
* 1977 Citi-car electric vehicle
Dr. Argue would drive this Citi-car back and forth to the hospital in nearby Newfane, NY. At first, electric cars were outselling gasoline cars as they were more user friendly. As roads got better and cars could go farther, gasoline cars got better and better. Hills proved very difficult for electric cars because more power was required to go uphill. (Fun fact: Dwight D. Eisenhower drove an electric car before his presidency.)
* 1963 Studebaker Avanti Model R2 Supercharged
A rare sports coupe due to its supercharged V8 engine. It was one of the fastest cars of its time, achieving 0–60 mph in under 8 seconds.
1947 Ford business coupe
This was considered the cheapest Ford available, used by a lot of traveling salesmen who would often bring catalogs and samples with them, especially when selling in rural areas.
1953 Packard Cavalier
The Cavalier was a mainstream 4-door luxury sedan, marketed as a high quality alternative to Lincoln and Cadillac.
1931 Ford BB stake bed truck
This was Ford's upgrade to its Model TT truck.
1947 Chevrolet fire truck
* Please note that the fire truck is not stored in the Argue Building
Horse drawn wagon
Railroad bicycle owned by Mike Radigan
In the early 1900s, Mike Radigan lived in Lockport, NY but travelled to his job at the lumber yard in Wilson each day. After taking the trolley from Lockport to Burt, he would ride his bicycle the rest of the way to Wilson. To make his trip smoother, he attached special bars that allowed him to ride along the old Hojack Line railroad tracks. Each night, he would store the bike inside the train station in Burt, before boarding the trolley back to Lockport.
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