Auburn-Cord-Duesenberg Museum

Monday, October 5, 2026

We had a delightfully slow morning. We had a late breakfast/lunch at Joanna’s. We ordered “smaller” skillet breakfasts, since the “meals” seemed daunting. The skillets were daunting. We actually made pretty good progress but had to surrender. I hope they can compost. (This is the before picture)

My brother David recommended the Auburn-Cord-Duesenberg museum (our waitress called it the ACD) after he visited a couple years ago. I am an absolute sucker for Duesenbergs – I think they are just the coolest car – so I have had it as a “must go” ever since.

Since the museum is in Auburn, Indiana, I assumed the Auburn at the front of the name was just referring to the location. Nope. It was a car company. It turns out there were so many car companies between 1900 and 1930 you wouldn’t believe it. There were 11 in Auburn alone! The Eckhart family were carriage makers for 40 years before cars became a thing. The dad and two sons decided to start trying to build cars as the next thing after carriages. They called their company after their town, Auburn. ACD has a 1904 (first year) Auburn car. I think that is amazing. It had a one-cylinder, 6 horsepower engine. Within 6 years their 4 cylinder engine had 40 horsepower.

Auburn did okay through WWI, with some government contracts, but by 1919 the last Eckhart was ready to retire and sold the sagging company. The new guys needed some help bringing the company back to success. They found Erret Lobban Cord – a go getter salesman – to lead and eventually own the company. EL (as he was known, since Erret is not a name) was quite a guy. He wanted to build a multi-brand empire. He acquired the financially struggling Duesenberg company in 1926. They were known for making race cars and a model A. He gave Fred Duesenberg a blank check to create the greatest motor car in the world. Fred made the 1928 Model J – with 265 horsepower and speed of 116mph. EL started the Cord Corporation in 1929 and launched a personal luxury car that year. By 1937, he was ready to retire from the car business with millions of dollars and the ACD stopped producing cars.

Here are some of the gazillion pictures I took. They aren’t a very good representation of anything except the cars I liked.

Keith knew about this specific car. The 1936 Cord 810 was the first car to have retractable headlights, and he saw this exact one in a magazine many years ago and always wanted to see it in person. The finish is pearly and amazing, and the picture really doesn’t do it justice. Keith got a T-shirt in the gift shop with this car on it too.

The museum is built in the original Auburn showroom and office building. The art deco details are terrific.

Why is there a picture of me just looking a bit startled? I don’t know. Keith took it and added it to the blog page and I just put it in. Huh. What kind of car is this blue one? I don’t remember. It was right at the beginning and I loved the blue, so here it is. Keith says it’s a 1932 Cord.

One hallway was decorated with a bunch of sets of pictures – one from back in the day and a updated version using a car from the museum in the same Auburn location. I thought that was really interesting.

They had some of the original offices on the third floor. There was a video of “how to use a typewriter”. I didn’t need to watch it, but I did need to learn to slow down. If I went too fast, the keys got in a tangle.

Ice floors could collapse at any moment, just like grates in the sidewalk.

There are about 130 cars on display – not all ACD brands. Every one of them was interesting or special in some way.

1963 at its best!

There I go!!