On behalf of the Crosley 301 pole car, located in Mechanicsville, VA., Still Runnin Magazine, an automotive publication based in Mechanicsville, would like to make an official announcement to the residents of Hanover County, surrounding neighbors and interested parties. We at Still Runnin Magazine are acting as home base for the Crosley 301 pole car rescue effort. There has been much internet discussion by many groups expressing their concern after "the Mechanicsville Local" newspaper released an editorial on January 7th, 2009 titled, "301 Corridor Work Moves Ahead". The editorial brought both awareness and attention to the community with the statement that read; "the "little car on the pole on U.S. 301 will be coming down as progress moves forward on the corridor." We have been and continue to be in close communication with the owners of Atlee Auto Service. It is true that the Crosley on the 301 pole has been ruled to come down, but not by the choice of the property owners. Understand that it is solely Hanover County officials who have chosen the fate of the 301 pole car. Still Runnin Magazine is making a public plea to all concerned individuals to assemble together as one unit in order to be effective as an organized group. The mission is to reverse the county's decision to take down the pole car. Call this project: the "Little Car That Should". Yes, the "Little Car That Should" stay right where it has been for all these years on the 301 corridor in Mechanicsville, VA. as a piece of the community's history. There have been numerous offerings from individuals and groups to save the Crosley. With all of our efforts brought together working as one powerful force, we can win the battle that lies ahead to save the Crosley. If you are interested in banning together to help our effort, please register on Still Runnin Magazine's Forum called the "Runnin Board" and ban together or e-mail me at [email protected] for more information and updates. "The Little Car that Should" ..... STAY Needs volunteers to raise public awareness of its fate ... Sign Boards, Petitions and Public Attendance and the like. Please help us with project. Respectfully, CEO and Publisher of Still Runnin Magazine www.stillrunnin.com [email protected]
Ah yes, "civic minded" do gooders fuckin' up history again - they need to get a life and understand that history is created when you do not tear stuff down in the name of "improvement". Sorry to hear this.
We have a back up plan to take in to the Field Days of the Past IF we loose our battle against the county and the owner decides to let her relocate. Not a cheep affair take her down safely and relocate either. But first we'll fight for her to stay put. The new land owners have designed their new building so it doesn't bother her at all, county official's just being their powerful-little-selves.
Man, that is very upsetting. My family moved to Maryland from East Tennessee in 1962 and I remember seeing that little Crosley as we came north on Rt. 301. It has been a landmark for me for many years as I've always made the next left coming southbound to go to the NASCAR races at Richmond. Count me in to sign a petition or write a letter to anyone who may be in the position to save it. As far as I'm concerned it should be on the Registry of Historical Places and protected and preserved for posterity. Let me know how I can help.
I need to funnel all concerned parties to one spot, please email me privately with your name address and phone numbers and the county in which you live. You could cut and paste your HAMB message to me in your email. In the subject line just type in the words: 301 Thank you for your support !!! Lea [email protected]
BTT for the "Save the Crosley on the pole ". Thanks. Hope we can save this little piece of auto history.
I remember this car very well from the time I was a kid, till later in life when my former occupation as a carpenter lead me to a brush with greatness. I was sub-contracting some work for a home builder who was developing property in Hanover and met the man who put that car on the pole. Based upon the story I was told that day, the first successful pole topping occurred some time in the late 50's. Wanting to spur interest in a circle dirt track in the area, he decided a car on a pole out in front of the track was a great idea. Rather than a pole, the first car was placed atop a tree, pulling the car up the tree, via a series of cables, pulleys, and a tow truck. The process of placing this car took place one evening after a day of work, during this process, I was told that he saw the local peace officer fly by at a high rate of speed, then a few minutes later, pass back by in the other direction, again at a high rate of speed. This occurred numerous times until the officer stooped to ask him what the heck he was doing. They had received a call about a horrible wreck in which the car had landed in the top of a tree. He told me years later he erected the car currently on Rt. 301, using the same process as the first, and that the process of getting it up there was an engineering feat that some did or would not believe, and that the process became a topic of study at several universities. Whether these were the rantings of an old man or not, at the time and to this day, it still was an interesting experience meeting him and hearing this tale.
I have heard most of that story, but not the horrible wreck part, THANK YOU for sharing that. I wish I knew which officer that was, I would love to find him to hear him tell that memory of back in the day. GREAT story, sounds true enough to me.... lol That man was be Mr Lawhorn ... His son, Wayne is very supportive of this cause. The family has been in this area forever. Anyone else with stories please come forward, we are trying to do put together a time line of this pole car. Lea
O.k., as a native of richmond ( northside, east highland park, mechanicsville ) i'll chime in with my 2 cents worth. Lawhorne put that crosley on that pole before i can remember and i'm getting ready to turn 67. I was through there just before xmas. And thought to myself '' i wonder when some ass politician will try to make someone take the car down because they don't think it looks politically correct ''. I am sick and tired of people that say they want to run for an office to '' serve the public'' and once they get there their personal agendas start in action. We all need to let these people know louldly and clearly that we will vote,vote and vote to get their butts out of that office untill the most recent ones in an office get the message to use some common sence ( what ever that is ) in planning, administration and financial matters before the communities. We constantly fight similar issues here in winchester,va. Everyone possible in richmond and hanover county needs to rally around the crosley. Taking it down would be like destroying a chicken-in-the-rough sign.
Anyone who would like a OFFICIAL Flyer and Petition to help save the 301 pole car please email me and I will send them to you as a PDF to print out. [email protected] AGAIN THANKS for supporting the cause !!!!
Just a word of encouragement from So Cal - for those of you who do not believe that 'preservation activism' works, just check out Cyclone Kevins 'Broiler' thread. After a valiant effort by a bunch of dedicated car guys - many of them HAMBers, the original Harveys Broiler which was almost completely and illegally destroyed with a bulldozer, by a tenant - didn't even own the property - has been saved from extinction and is scheduled to arise like Phoenix from the ashes, as a Bob's Big Boy Broiler in 2009. The mayor of the City of Downey got the council behind this and now what once seemed an impossible dream and battle against the historically challenged, is again about to be reality. Still Runnin needs your help - apathy is the enemy.
Sadly, Mechanicsville is going the way of NoVa. Developers are calling all of the shots with little regard to what the people really want. I take it that 301 will be the new 360? Man has that place exploded. When I moved to Mechanicsville (1999), it took me 5 minutes to get to the shop on 360. Six years later it took 20 minutes. It's like Northern Va all over again. Your county officials are a joke. They talk of controlled expansion but if you look at the "Map", they are going to expand Ashland, 301, and 360. Uh....... where else can you expand? I am soooo glad I moved from VA. They should put the crosley at Brunnetiis.
We have secured the Crosley new home if we loose to go to "Field Day of the Past" were it can live on forever. Yes the new corridor look is well ....... the Crosley doesn't conform to their liking ...... I don't know I like old stuff ...... lol They the official have a different agenda then I do I guess, but they are about to hear the publics opinion.
Petitions and Flyers are currently at the following establishments to either go sign or pick up a copy to circulate. Thanks for your support! 1. Atlee Auto Service on 301, Mechanicsville 2. Lube Tech on Atlee Station Rd, Mechanicsville 3. Antique Village on 301, Mechanicsville 4. Minuteman Press at Kings Charter Dr., Ashland 5. Old Dominion Mustang, Camaro, of Ashland 6. Vintage Auto, Ashland 7. Mercer and Woodson Automotive Inc, Lakeside, Richmond 8. Retallick's Auto Parts, Ashland
I'm bringing this back to the top - you Virginia guys / gals I could use some help spreading the word on this.
Saturday, July 10th, 2010 Still Runnin Magazine Will Meet the Richmond Times Newspaper at Brunetti's 301 Local Cruise In to Discuss the Crosley 301 Pole Car in Hanover County, Mechanicsville, Virginia. Lea & Big John, publishers of Still Runnin Magazine Invite and Encourage the Locals to Join Them at 4pm at the Cruise In to Show Public Support and Back Up the 1,000 Signatures Still Runnin Magazine Has Collected This Past Year in Effort to Save the Crosley on a Stick. The Crosley 301 Pole Car, According to Hanover County "Does Not Meet the New Look of the 301 Corridor" and Demand it Come Down Before Giving the New Owner of the Property Thier CO / Certificate of Occupantcy. The New Owner is Atlee Auto who Would Like for the Crowsley to Stay Right Where it is and Has Been Since the 50's. It is a Hanover County Landmark That Sits Sound on it's Pole and Has the Right to Stay. All Those Who Agree, Please Meet Up With Us Saturday 4pm, July 10th at Brunetti's Cruise In on Atlee Road off 301 and Call Chuck McGhee and Tell Him You Want The 301 Pole Car to Stay! Charles D. McGhee 804-779-2876(H) 804-779-7765(FAX) [email protected] <!-- / message --> <!-- sig --> __________________
Good luck with that. When I lived in Hanover Co, I found the board of supervisors to be nothing more than a group of people whom had short term plans for growth in the county. Nothing was ever thought out all that well, other than how to get increased revenues from business owners. Look at 360 as an example. If you are a business owner on 360, it's usually a pain in the butt for customers to get to you unless you're located on a premium corner that has a "freindly" light. Hanover screwed up 360 big time and will no doubt do the same with 301. They need to start planning and building for 50 years from now, not 5 years from now. As slow as Va. is on roadwork, by the time any expansion is done, it will be outdated, as it has always been. Props to you for trying to keep the Crosley but it will cost Atlee Auto a bunch of $$$ and no doubt that Hanover will "tax" the Crosley as a sign needing a "special permit" and such. Ever try to get in contact with the jerk in charge of sign permits in Hanover? He's un-reachable by phone, email, or in person. I ended up getting 3 different notices from this mysterious supervisor that I was unable to contact via phone, letter, or email. Ended up closing up shop for a few hours while I took my checkbook up to the courthouse. I found out that if you write a big enough check, you can pretty much do whatever you want signage wise. Couldn't get a reply to any question's beforehand so I had to let my checkbook do the talking. Good luck with the Crosley. It's cool for sure but Hanover will need to "paid" in order to let it remain. Who ever has the $$ to pay the ransom that Hanover Co. will ask, I only hope that they can build the extra cost into the business. I acutally know a couple guys that work at Atlee Auto and didn't know that they were planning on expanding/moving. I wish you the best of luck. Mark P.S. Brunetti's has awesome food. I miss it.
For those interested, The interview this evening with the Richmond Times Dispatch seemed to go very well. Thank you to the guys that showed up to back me. Lets hope they do not mis-word what I said (like they did in the article written in the 301 Mechanicsville Local last year when they said, the owner said, the car was Not sound on its pole. Which was a Incorrect statement and Not what the owner said. In fact, the owner had an engineer go up the pole to be sure the 301 Crowsley was sound. And IT IS, and will probably sit there longer than all of us are alive and then some. ..... That is if we can win the cause and get the county to allow it to stay! Mark, Atlee Auto's new facility is just gorgeous, very large, something they should be very proud of. I am very pleased to see them build such a nice place. They are looking to get there C O mid August. Monday is the day the article should be in the paper. If anyone here is interested in helping it's not to late to help, please email me for more info. [email protected] Thank you to all of you out there that have emailed me your stories and thoughts about the 301 Pole car, they have been and still are a great source of info that I have been able to use in some cases during my plea to keep the car on the pole! "P.S. Brunetti's has awesome food. I miss it." ......... Mark, you are so right about the food at Brunetti's ... I had the steak roll tonight .. mm mm good.
Article in Mondays paper http://www2.timesdispatch.com/news/2010/jul/12/auto12-ar-106713/#comment_form
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