Packard Museum founder honored

Staff report

WARREN

The National Packard Museum has opened a new permanent gallery that illustrates a local man’s passion for Packard history that culminated in the creation of the museum.

The Terry Martin Tribute Gallery opened last month to honor Martin for his contributions to the museum and for his efforts to preserve Packard history over the past 50 years.

Known in Packard circles as “Mr. Packard,” Martin was the driving force behind the creation of a Packard Museum in Warren. Long before anyone was reciting the phrase “Birthplace of Packard,” he knew the city’s significance and was relentless in his pursuit to see the Packard legacy celebrated.

Martin purchased his first antique car in 1954, at age 17 — a 1929 Buick sedan for which he paid $30. In 1963, Martin took a job in Warren and noticed the Packard name appeared in numerous places around town. While researching Packard history and collecting Packard artifacts, he became friends with Packard Motorcar Co. descendants Roger White and Warren Packard III.

In 1972, Martin acquired the 1900 Packard, the oldest known Packard in existence. He spent several decades restoring it and the vehicle is now on display in the gallery.

The 1974, Martin and his wifre, Lorna, organized the 75th anniversary celebration of the Packard Automobile Co. A milestone homecoming was celebrated when he brought the very first Packard, dubbed “old No. 1,” back to Warren from eastern Pennsylvania. After that celebration Terry opened the Packard Birthplace Museum in his cabinet store showroom on East Market Street in Warren.

Martin’s first attempt to organize a permanent Packard Museum in the late 1970s inside Packard Music Hall failed for lack of funding, but Martin was undaunted and eventually succeeded.

Martin became a founder of the National Packard Museum in 1990 and served several terms as its president.

The Terry Martin Tribute Gallery is located in the museum’s former foyer and features Martin’s own 1900 Packard Model B, which was the 10th car built in Warren and the second oldest surviving Packard automobile.

Martin is recognized as the foremost authority on early Packard Motor Car Company history and is the author of “Packard: The Warren Years.” He also served as co-chairman of the Packard Centennial Celebration, which attracted nearly 1,000 cars from all over the world to Warren in 1999.