Vintage pedal cars on display at McLean County Museum of History

Posted on March 7, 2018
Pedal cars from the Bruce Callis collection (photo courtesy McLean County Museum of History)

By Crystal Donaldson

BLOOMINGTON – Nearly 50 pedal cars dating back to 1927 are on display at The McLean County Museum of History.

The grand opening of the new two-year exhibit features vintage pedal cars gifted by the family of Bruce Callis. Callis was a State Farm executive and long time local who contributed 46 of the pedal cars from his own collection.

Anthony Bowman, exhibit curator, said the exhibit is for the young and old. Kids and those who remember the vintage cars from their childhood can learn about the cars’ creation.

“First of all, understanding that they’re really pieces of industrial art in a way,” Bowman said. “So they’re toys but alot of work went into thinkg about these toys and designing them,” he added.

Callis created one pedal car specifically for State Farm.

Crystal Donaldson can be reached at [email protected]

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