Burlingame History Museum opening at Caltrain station
By Christine Morente, San Mateo County Times
BURLINGAME Ever so slowly and ever so carefully, Bob Bean backed his 1960 Plymouth Fury through the double doors of the Burlingame-Hillborough History Museum on Tuesday morning.
Behind him, Russ Cohen, president of the Burlingame Historical Society, navigated.
Bean wasn't nervous about scraping the sides of his car.
"We always backed our cars into the garage," the former Burlingame resident said. "I'm glad it fit with a foot to spare on each side."
Bean is letting the Historical Society borrow the unique sky blue and white vehicle for the new Burlingame museum's "Planes, Trains and Automobiles" exhibit.
The grand opening is 2 to 4 p.m., Sunday at the Burlingame Avenue Caltrain station's old waiting room.
It will display items about Auto Row, the station and San Francisco's 40-line, a trolley service that went through Burlingame on California Drive and ended in San Mateo.
The society has collected and protected Burlingame and Hillsborough artifacts and memorabilia since its inception in 1975. Cohen said it has more than 125,000 pieces in its collection.
A few years ago, the Joint Powers Board agreed to allow the group to open a museum at the station, which is on the National Register of Historic Places, and designated a State Historic Landmark.
"The train station afforded us the perfect location to have a museum that is really where Burlingame started," Cohen said.
The building was constructed in 1894 by prominent members of the Burlingame Country Club. Cohen said the station is the first permanent Mission-Revival style building. At the time, the small town was made up of just a few cottages and the country club, which is now in Hillsborough.
Fast forward 92 years, and the station was the site of a murder.
On March 26, 1986, George Grant, a ticket agent, was killed by Cleveland Scott of San Mateo.
Burlingame police Chief Jack Van Etten, who was the lead detective in the case, never found a motive for Grant's killing.
Four years ago, the station stopped having a ticket agent.
The Trains, Planes and Automobiles exhibit is expected to run through December. A Ford Model T also will be on display.
"Not everything in historical societies has to be turn-of-the-century," Cohen said. "Midcentury is nice, too."
Which is where Bean's 1960 Plymouth Fury comes in. In the past 10 years, the car has been displayed in car shows such as Hillsborough's Concours d'Elegance. Originally, the car was owned by Bean's mother, Marjorie. She drove it from their Drake Avenue home to AVR Realty, where she worked part time. She also showed it off at Burlingame Plaza, where she went grocery shopping.
"That was her pride and joy," said Bean, who now owns it with his nephew Daniel.
Still in "cherry" condition, the car was bought off the showroom floor decked out with chrome, trim, power steering, power brakes, and a 45-rpm RCA record player.
The car's body was inspired by the 1960 space race. The Plymouth features fins in the rear, and the steering wheel resembles one on an airplane.
Bean said less than 10,000 1960 Plymouth Furys were made. "It was a piece of art rather than a functional car," said the 66-year-old Hayward resident. "Now, it's a car you don't see. They're kind of a gaudy, trendy-type car."
After the grand opening, the museum will be open from 1 to 4 p.m. Sundays. There is no admission fee, but the Historical Society accepts donations.
For details, visit http://www.burlingamehistorical.org.
While you are admiring the exhibits, be sure to note the improvements to the room itself. With new plaster and paint, a thorough cleaning, and new electrical and security systems the station hasn't looked this good in quite some time!
– Written by Joe