text: golden age of trucking museum the golden age of trucking museum is a defunct trucking museum in middlebury , connecticut , united states . founded in 1998 by richard and frances guerrera , it was non - profit organization dedicated to trucking that focused on trucks of the 1950s . the museum was dedicated on september 23 , 2002 and housed in a 32 , 000 square foot building . it featured a collection of historic and antique vehicles including the first registered car in connecticut , a 1928 pierce - arrow motor car company dump truck . among the trucks in the museum were mack trucks , gmc and autocar company trucks , including a 1963 mack b61 motivated guerrera to found the museum . the golden age of trucking museum also featured a collection of toy trucks , hats , state license plates and images relating to trucking . throughout its entire operation , the museum ran a deficit and it closed after a 2009 fund raising campaign failed . the museum 's final day of operation was on july 20 , 2010 . the economic impact of the museums closure was expected to be low , but according to steven of the boston the golden age of trucking museum made its mark on the auto world . history founded in 1998 by richard and frances guerrera , the golden age of trucking museum was a non - profit organization dedicated to trucking . the owned and operated r.j. guerrera , a liquid transportation trucking company . originally , a collection of trucks were restored and stored in barns and garages throughout connecticut . the golden age of trucking museum was opened to bring the collection under a single roof . after the property for the museum was purchased in july 1998 , richard guerrera was diagnosed with cancer . in june 1999 , he was transported to the site for an unofficial groundbreaking event . richard guerrera died a month later and the facility was completed in 2002 . the museum was designed by francis guerrera 's son - in - law , a general contractor . on september 23 , 2002 , the museum was formally opened with a ribbon - cutting ceremony in the complete 32 , 000 square foot building . the museum never was able to sustain itself through its visitors and it ran a deficit throughout its entire operation ; the museums operating costs that were covered by frances guerrera . in 2009 , a $ 100 , 000 funding raising campaign was undertaken , but it only resulted in a total of $ 20 , 000 being raised prior to july 2010 . on july 6 , 2010 , the board of directors came to the conclusion to close the museum . the museum 's final day was on july 20 , 2010 and also featured a gathering of antique cars in a " cruise night " event . collection the golden age of trucking museum featured a collection of historic trucks , cars and other items related to the trucking operation , with a special focus on trucking in the 1950s . many of the historic vehicles on display were noted for their rarity or otherwise unique quality . these include the first registered car in connecticut , a 1902 merry oldsmobile , and a 1928 pierce - arrow motor car company five - to - seven ton dump truck , one of only 55 pierce - arrow trucks produced . the displays included a 1916 mack paddy wagon , a 1929 diamond t truck , a 1931 ford model aa service car , a 1936 ford roadster deluxe and a model t ford tank truck . a 1953 moving van with original owner 's banner was located near some and carriages . other early period vehicles on display included a 1912 autocar two - cylinder transit bus , a 1914 trumbull , a 1915 barker , and a 1917 republic model 10 1 - ton express and a 1920 3 ½ ton model ac mack . trucks of the 1930s and 1940s included a 1937 ford tow truck , a 1940 dodge vk , a 1940 mack fn , a 1941 federal model and a 1942 dodge wc - 21 . the 1950s ' vehicles were represented by a 1952 diamond t , 1955 ih and a 1955 gmc model 860 . later vehicles included two autocar company trucks , a 1962 and a 1974 10 - wheel dump truck . the 1963 mack b61 was of special importance to the founder richard guerrera who acquired the truck with the purchase of a local company , oil transport . guerrera sold the truck and reacquired the same vehicle in 1985 to restore it . this mack b61 was described as the " impetus " for the museum . also on display was a 1996 volvo prototype truck cab . other items on display included " bumpers " , a dog sculpture made of mack truck bumpers and a collection of toy trucks , hats , state license plates and images relating to trucking . the museum also included an exhibit featuring kerosene lamps . according to stephen wood , the kerosene lamps might have come from the defunct kerosene lamp museum . also on display was stephen 's guinness world record breaking popsicle stick structure , made of 396 , 000 sticks . impact throughout its operation , the golden age of trucking museum was one of two trucking museums in connecticut . steven of the boston globe wrote , " it may seem strange that two trucking museums would be located in the same state , but [ t ] he haul of fame truck museum and [ t ] he golden age of trucking museum make their individual marks on the auto world . " the economic impact of the museum 's closure was not expected to be large according to john cookson , co - chairman of economic and industrial development commission . janet serra , the director for the western connecticut convention and visitor 's bureau , said the effect of closure would not be immediate , but noted it could impact tourism and area hotels .