Model T Convention coming to New Philadelphia
Patti and Tom Strickling, dressed in 1920s attire, with their 1923 Model T Ford Fordoor at Tuscora Park. The Stricklings will host the Model T Ford Club International 64th annual tour in New Philadelphia July 18-23.
Area residents and visitors will be treated to the sight of 250 antique Model T vehicles traveling the roadways when the 64th annual tour of the Model T Ford Club International is held in New Philadelphia this month.
The convention will be held July 18-23 and start with an event in downtown New Philadelphia that is open to the public on July 18 from noon to 4 p.m. The Model Ts will be parked around the downtown, and the Heritage Home Association is sponsoring tours of five downtown area churches and the courthouse. A display of early Ford vehicles, prior to the Model T, will be at Two J’s Garage in the downtown.
There also will be a car show at Boltz Family Farms and Market on July 17 prior to the start of the convention beginning at 5 p.m.
“It will feature about 50 Model Ts, but it is open to the public, and they can bring their own cars too,” Tom Strickling of New Philadelphia said. “It will be a good chance to see Model Ts up close.”
A Model T convention was previously held in New Philadelphia in July 2001.
Strickling and his wife, Patti, are hosts for the convention, and they want to remind everyone that patience from other drivers sharing the road during the week of the convention would be appreciated.
“The Model Ts will be driving every day that week, and at best, we will be doing 35 mph and, at worst, uphill 10-12 mph,” Strickling said.
One place you certainly will not see them is on I-77, unless they are on a trailer, which is the method most owners will use to transport their cars to the area.
The farthest guests are coming from Minnesota. The Model T Ford Club International has members from all over the world, but no one from outside of the country was able to come due to COVID-19 restrictions.
Tom and Patty Strickling have been driving all area roads they plan to travel on for the past two years to make sure they are still going to be suitable for the tour, and they were out as recently as last week checking on road conditions.
The Model T convention attendees will do many activities during the week including visiting area historical attractions and even taking a lap on the track at the Midvale Speedway, although there will not be any racing taking place.
Helping with the event is an area group, the Tri-County Model A Club.
“They have graciously agreed to put out all our signs in the morning to show where to turn. They’re going to pick the signs up in the evening and reset the signs for the next day,” Strickling said.
He is appreciative as members of the group are going to drive the trouble trailers in case anyone has car problems on the tour. “Big hills are where things go bad,” Strickling said.
The biggest part of the tour for Model T owners is food, and ice cream is a favorite.
“Our club actually sells a shirt that says, ‘All we do is drive around and eat,’” Strickling said.
Another favorite activity is the chance to explore a new area.
“I like seeing the historic museums, the little towns and the camaraderie,” Patti Strickling said. “We see a lot of the same people every year, and it’s like a big family reunion. Seeing everybody and talking to them, it’s just a lot of fun.”
The tour is estimated to bring in about $400,000 to the area.
For Model T owners, the tour is a good time to check out one’s vehicle.
“It’s good to go over your car and inspect it once a year and make sure it’s running OK,” Tom Strickling said. He also likes that it is an opportunity to get out and drive.
The couple is looking forward to the July 18 public event. They also are members of the Heritage Home Association, which will have a table set up to distribute copies of their updated “Walking Tour of Historic New Philadelphia.”
The updated tour was a joint project of the Heritage Home Association and the Tuscarawas County Historical Society. It was funded through a grant from Tuscarawas Valley Heritage Inc.
Heritage Home Association members, George Laurence and Liz Hipp, headed the committee to update the tour brochures. Laurence designed the cover for the new brochure to reflect the design of the Welcome to Our City sign. Unfortunately, the Welcome to Our City sign is not expected to be replaced in time for the convention.
“We wanted to revise the tour with more information. We added some houses, portraits and old newspaper ads,” Hipp said.
The group wants to educate the public on architectural elements, and the new brochure includes a glossary of terms. The brochure even includes information on monuments and items on the courthouse lawn.
The tour is divided into four sections, and the mileage of each walk is listed on the inside of the brochure. The brochures are available at the Tuscarawas County Convention and Visitors Bureau and will be placed at a number of area hotels and other locations.
Also at the July 18 event, Kim Jurkovic of the Tuscarawas County Historical Society will have a display of historical dioramas available, and the Heritage Home Association is sponsoring a tour of five area churches and the Tuscarawas County Courthouse.
The courthouse will be open from noon to 4 p.m. Some churches will open at 12:30 p.m., some at 1 p.m., and tours will end at 4 p.m.
“The churches have all expressed such excitement doing this because they’ve never done anything like this before,” Hipp said.
The architecture and history of the stained-glass windows at each church is interesting. One participating church has Tiffany windows, and another has a window based on a church in Italy.
“We hope people will come down to be a part of the Model T car show, in addition to taking advantage of the free tours in the churches and the courthouse,” Hipp said.