Tag Archive for: #corbitttrucks

Corbitt Preservation Association To Hold Spring Fling Saturday

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The plan for Saturday’s Spring Fling at the Corbitt Museum is to have trucks and tractors on display for the public to view and ooh and aah over, but when you’re dealing with vehicles that are as old as the Corbitts that are around here, Tom Burleson said “you keep your fingers crossed.”

The annual event will take place April 13 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and it’s a perfect time for folks to stop by and learn more of the history about the Corbitt family and its many contributions to the Henderson area, according to Burleson, vice president of the Corbitt Preservation Association.

Burleson himself grew up on Corbitt Road, he said on Wednesday’s TownTalk. And his childhood home was just up the street from the Corbitt mansion, that stood where Wester Realty now stands.

The Corbitts owned The Little Hotel and Mrs. Corbitt ran it back in the day, when Mr. Corbitt was busy cranking out trucks, military vehicles and tractors.

“We’ve got a good story to tell,” Burleson said. “We want to try to interest some younger folks.” His fellow Corbitt enthusiasts have “a lot of snow on the mountain,” he quipped and Corbitt Preservation Association events like the Spring Fling help to keep the history alive.

The association’s members are always on the lookout for Corbitt memorabilia and continue to collect it for display at the museum, located at 180 Church St. One recent addition is a promissory note dated 1917 signed by THE Richard J. Corbitt himself.

The company was founded in 1899 and produced horse-drawn buggies, Burleson said, then it morphed to motorized buggies, then automobiles, trucks and tractors. The Corbitt Company found its niche, however, in military vehicles.

One board member chugs down I-85 in his 1950 model truck that originally was purchased for use by the J.W. Jenkins Oil Co. in Henderson. “He gets some of the strangest looks,” Burleson said, but it’s just one of the trucks and tractors that’s still chuggin’ along.

Hopefully, it will be parked outside the Corbitt Museum Saturday.

Fingers crossed.

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Corbitt Trucks

TownTalk: Corbitt Trucks Roll Into Henderson On Saturday

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The Corbitt trucks are rolling in to town this weekend for the annual car show – not as many as rolled out of town during the vehicle maker’s heyday, but that’s ok with Ken Stegall.

He is one of the locals who helps keep the memory of the Corbitt truck alive and well, and he said if the weather’s nice, there could be a dozen or more vehicles on display during the Show, Shine, Shag and Dine event in downtown Henderson Saturday.

Take the 1926 fire truck, for example. It’s one of only six that the Corbitt Preservation Society knows about that rolled off the line here in Henderson. It originally was sold to a Washington, D.C. area hospital for the insane, Stegall said on Tuesday’s TownTalk.

“When we found it, it was in really bad shape,” he said. Untold hours of loving restoration went into giving it new life. “We’re going to have it there Saturday,” Stegall said.

He said he hopes the oldest running Corbitt vehicle will be on display, too. It’s locally owned, he said. There should be some farm tractors on display as well.

Not sure whether the big 6 by 6 military truck will make it, but Stegall said that’s the one that put Corbitt on the map.
The one that John Richard Hedgepeth has restored “is probably as good or better today than when it came out of the factory,” Stegall said. “That military truck is immaculate.” Corbitt in Henderson spit out 3,400 during 1939 and 1945. There were others that manufactured the vehicle, he noted, but they all used the Corbitt design.

Stegall welcomes any and all interested in volunteering with the museum or in other ways to join the preservation effort. Membership fees have been discontinued in favor of donations, he said, to encourage more people to join the likes of founders Charles Powell and the late Mac Renn to celebrate the Corbitt Trucking Co.

Before it was producing vehicles with gas-powered engines, Corbitt was producing horse-drawn buggies.

“They were making as many as 250 buggies a month” in Henderson, Stegall said. But finding one of those buggies has proven to be a challenge.

“Something we are desperately looking for is a Corbitt buggy,” he said. “That’s the thing we made the most of in this county,” he said.

Surely there’s a buggy out there somewhere with that iconic Corbitt tag under the chassis.

 

 

Corbitt Trucks

TownTalk: Corbitt Preservation Event To Be Held On April 9

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When he looks at one of those old Corbitt trucks, Charles Powell sees so much more than an old vehicle that just happened to be manufactured right here in Henderson in the early part of the 20th century – he sees, in his words “magnificent pieces of equipment.”

Powell, president of the Corbitt Preservation Association, and plenty of other Corbitt Truck enthusiasts are looking forward to gathering again in a few weeks to share their love of the locally produced vehicle with others.

There will be a Spring Fling and Open House on Saturday, April 9 in the area of the Bennett H. Perry Museum, which also is home to the preservation association. This is the 20th year for the event, which will be held from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., rain or shine.

“You can’t just look at it as a hunk of metal,” Powell told John C. Rose on Thursday’s Town Talk. What some may see as utilitarian vehicles of a bygone era, Powell and other Corbitt truck fans see as history on wheels.

There will be some Corbitt trucks parked along Church Street in front of the museum so folks have a chance to see them up close.

The preservation association was all set to have the open house last year, but COVID-19 quashed those plans. Powell said the open house for the museum is a great way to let the community know that the museum is here for them to enjoy.

“I think everybody’s ready to get out,” Powell said. “People have been inside for so long – I think they’re really going to like these events.”

There are half a dozen or so car shows or other similar events across the state that Powell and others either drive or trailer some of the old Corbitts to, including the Got To Be NC festival in Raleigh and another at the Transportation Museum in Spencer, near Salisbury.

“It takes quite a bit to get these vehicles loaded up and hauled to a show,” Powell explained. Some of the vehicles are between 70 and 100 years old, so driving them is often out of the question.

Some of the ones who have loved and cared for the vehicles are getting older, too, he said. He’d love to attract some younger folks to become members of the preservation association. Membership dues were waived during the pandemic and Powell said anyone interested in becoming involved need do nothing more than show up at a meeting – the next one is May 15 – or come out to the spring fling and sign up.

Find the group on Facebook at Corbitt Preservation Association or at https://corbitttrucks.com/

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Corbitt to NC Transportation Museum

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Corbitt trucks played a vital role in transportation around the world, all after being assembled right here in Henderson, NC.  This role was especially evident during WWII.

Now, Corbitt and The Corbitt Preservation Association will participate in the NC Transportation Museum’s Salute the Troops activities on July 1 and July 2.  (Be sure to click the two links in this sentence.)

Kenneth Stegall, archivist and treasurer with Corbitt Preservation, wrote in an email to members, “This material will become part of a permanent exhibit in the space the Museum is going to provide us to display Corbitt material and a few vehicles. This is a great way for all the folks in NC to see the role Corbitt played in the transportation world.”

The photo here is an example of one of the pictures to be used at the exhibit and is displayed in this story courtesy of The Corbitt Preservation Association.  Stegall said the photos will be 20 x 30 and matted and will look really nice.

Local, Vance County owned Corbitts will be in Spencer, NC this weekend too as part of the exhibit, including immaculate restorations of Corbitt Military Trucks.

Everything costs money, including the ongoing cost of permanently having Corbitts and Corbitt materials in the NC Transportation Museum.  If you would like to make a contribution, all donations can be mailed to:

The Corbitt Preservation Association
PO BOX 74
Henderson, NC 27536

(John Charles Rose of WIZS and the writer of this content is a member of the Corbitt Preservation Association.)

Corbitt Preservation Association Looking for Donations for Military Exhibit

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Good morning everyone, it sure is a beautiful day here in Henderson, NC and I hope it is where ever you are too. Just to fill you in on the happenings of the Corbitt Preservation, we are in the process of creating a Military Exhibit for the Military show to be held at the NC Transportation Museum located in Spencer, NC on July 1st and 2nd. This material will become part of a permanent exhibit in the space the Museum is going to provide us to display Corbitt material and a few vehicles.

This is a great way for all the folks in NC to see the roll Corbitt played in the transportation world.

As you know all this takes money and not a whole lot but yet it does take out of our operating budget, there fore we are asking for donations to help with the cost of the exhibit. At this point we are looking at around $500 to start.

When we are told the amount of space to fill in the future I will let everyone know about what we are looking at in cost. We are just asking for you to do what you can if you can, a little money from all of us can get this done very easily. The membership dues alone are not enough to do projects like this as you well know. Please do what you can to help out, this is going to be something all of us can be proud of and a great opportunity for the Preservation so show our Corbitt spirit.

We have 2 shows coming up at the NC Transportation Museum one on the 24th of June which will be a fire truck show and our fire truck will be there as well.

The other is the military show July 1st and 2nd we will have lots of John Hedgepeth’s vehicles on display then.

Come join us in the fun and help out at the booth all help is welcome.

All donations can be mailed to:

The Corbitt Preservation Association (CPA)

PO BOX 74

Henderson, NC 27536

Thanks in advance for any help you can provide.

Ken Stegall

Archivist and Treasurer

The Corbitt Preservation Association

Corbitt Preservation Association to Meet This Sunday

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This is a reminder that the 2nd meeting of 2017 of the Corbitt Preservation Association will be this coming Sunday the 7th at 2:00 p.m. at the Bennett H Perry Museum ( The home of the Corbitt Museum). We would love to see each and everyone of you. We have a lot to talk about as always.

If you have not had a chance go to our new website please do,it is a work in progress so check it often. I am uploading to it almost daily. We have new Hats, Tee Shirts, and Coffee Mugs that will be on display at the meeting. Also remember it is becoming show time. truck and antique farm equipment shows are starting this weekend please check the events calendar on the website  to find the shows nearest you.

There will be a R J Corbitt memorial Scholarship given this month to a Northern Vance High School  student.

We look froward to seeing you all Sunday.

 

Thanks again

Ken Stegall

Treasurer and Archivist

The Corbitt Preservation Association

Corbitt Preservation Association to hold quarterly meeting this Sunday

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This is a reminder of the 1st quarter meeting of The Corbitt Preservation Association. It will be this Sunday Feb 5th at 2:00 pm at the Bennett H. Perry Museum (180 Church Street, Henderson) the home of the Corbitt Preservation Association. We look forward to seeing each and every one of you there.

We are going to have a great year hope you can join us in the fun.

Thanks again,

Ken Stegall

Treasurer and Archivist

The Corbitt Preservation Association

 

15th Annual Corbitt Truck Show

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The 15th Annual Corbitt Truck Show and the 15th Annual Show, Shine, Shag and Dine are THIS SATURDAY, OCT 15TH in downtown Henderson.

Charles Powell, Curtis Paul, Kenneth Stegall and the entire Corbitt Preservation Association are proud to announce that this should be the largest show so far.  Stegall wrote in a recent email to association members, “We will have vehicles here that have never been here before.”

Powell said, “John (Hedgepeth’s) military truck is going to be there.  And we will have one of the racing Corbitts that used to be on the racing circuit.  Some of the former drivers of the racing circuit will be there too.”

Stegall wrote, “It is the most amazing restoration I have ever seen. I am sure you will agree when you see it as well.”  The Hedgepeth military truck is pictured in the flyer below.

“Richard Johnson Corbitt IV will be attending the show for the second time.  There will be lots of reminiscing about the Corbitt company happening for sure with family and friends,” Stegall wrote.

Twenty five Corbitts or more are expected this year.

The Corbitts will be on display in their regular spot at the corner of Williams and Montgomery streets.  The museum will be open all day as well at the corner of Church and Chestnut streets.

If you wish to donate to the museum, mail your response to The Corbitt Preservation Association, PO Box 74, Henderson, NC 27536.

(This article was written by John C. Rose of WIZS, who is a member of the Corbitt Preservation Association.)

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