Skip to content

Alaska’s first car heads to antique museum

FAIRBANKS, Alaska (AP) – Alaska’s first car is being loaned out to the Antique Auto Museum in Fairbanks.

The car is a runabout hand-built in 1905 by late Skagway resident Robert Sheldon. The construction was reportedly based on illustrations Sheldon had seen of cars in magazines and built with materials available in the Southeast town.

The vehicle has been on display for years at the University of Alaska’s Museum of the North.

The car will be on loan for at least five years.

UA Museum spokeswoman Kerynn Fisher says the new display is expected to be unveiled to the public by mid May.

Fisher says there are plans to ultimately build a working replica of the Sheldon car, which is not operable and will be transported a couple miles Tuesday by another vehicle to its new temporary home.

Copyright 2010 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

AP-WS-02-09-10 0800EST