ST. MICHAELS, MD - The Classic Motor Museum in St. Michaels is steering toward a major expansion to accommodate its growing collection of classic cars and strengthen its automotive apprenticeship program.
The museum, which features vehicles from the 1910s to the 1970s—including classics like the Mercedes, Ford Thunderbird, and Mustang—is running out of room. Beyond needing more space for its collection, the museum is focusing on growing its apprenticeship program for aspiring automotive technicians.
“We have five students, and they’re studying to become automotive technicians,” said Gina Verhalen, the museum’s administrator.
The program currently allows for online learning. Students, who are already employed in local auto repair shops, attend four to five hours of online instruction at the museum on Thursdays after work.
“Currently, what they do, it’s more online learning. We have an online program that we do with the technical school, and they come in and they do four or five hours on a Thursday after work. They’re all currently employed in auto repair shops,” said instructor Jim McCrae.
The museum is currently seeking $1.2 million to purchase and renovate an abandoned gas station near the town’s entrance, 906 S Talbot St. The plan includes restoring the building’s exterior to a 1950s-style gas station while creating a hands-on automotive lab inside.
“It’s kind of a neglected property at the gateway of the town. And so we would like to both totally renovate it, maybe turn it back into a 1950’s-style gas station, but then on the inside have a kind of hands-on laboratory for our automotive apprentices,” Verhalen said.
According to McCrae, the new space would allow students to gain practical experience in a controlled environment.
“It would give us the ability to have a hands-on, like a lab, so to speak. And we could work on donor cars, you know...whereas their employers probably don’t want them practicing on customers’ cars,” McCrae said.
Student Sam Fike echoed the importance of hands-on learning.
“Classroom learning, you learn how everything works, but learning hands-on, you get way more out of it than your classroom,” said Fike.
Verhalen added that the expansion would double the number of students in the program and provide much-needed skilled workers for the region.
“We need automotive technicians here. We need them throughout the country but especially here on the Eastern Shore,” Verhalen said.
The museum has raised $900,000 so far through private donations but is still $250,000 short of its goal. The deadline to reach the funding target is Jan. 17.
The Motor Museum is working to accelerate its plans, aiming to not only expand its physical footprint but also its impact on the community and the future of automotive repair.
Or send a check to:
P.O. Box 214
St. Michaels, MD 21663
