Ken Miller Oil and Gas Museum to offer encore tour

The Ken Miller Oil and Gas Museum will close its doors permanently and is selling its contents on Nov. 14, 15 and 16 with RES Auctions.

There is still an opportunity to tour the museum one last time on Aug. 10 from noon to 3 p.m. Only cash and checks will be accepted.

According to Jayne Neal of the County Line Historical Society, the museum has struggled since the oil and gas boom fell off in 2016 and the charitable foundation that had supported the museum dissipated. However, since welcoming the historical society into its fold many years ago, the Miller family and the CLHS have worked hand in hand to present this display of oil and gas, old vehicles and more.

The museum includes 150 years of oil and gas business history. According to Neal, the Swabbing Machine 1918 Model T that resides there is said to be nicer than the one in The Smithsonian Institute. There are early gas pumps, drilling machines, tractors, trucks and automobiles, as well as Pennsylvania Railroad and Shreve industry memorabilia.

A visitor favorite is the four-engine 1280-horsepower street machine built and owned by Paul Wirt of Wooster. The car was built in 1959, and the hope was that it would set the land-speed record on the salt flats in Utah. It never did but is still a great story. Whether the memorabilia was donated for exhibition or part of the extensive Ken Miller collection, it has been one of the area’s hidden gems.

“There is no other museum with Ken Miller’s variety and collection of this size,” Neal said. “This is a gem of a museum, and much of the community is very disheartened to see it go away. It has been such a big part of our community for a number of decades that it will seem odd not to have it there anymore.”

The cost to visit the museum is $5 for adults while children 12 and younger may visit for free. There is a maximum of $15 per family. Members of any historical society may visit for half-price while County Line Historical Society paid-up members may visit for free. All admissions benefit County Line Historical Society for its museum in Shreve.

The Ken Miller Supply Oil, Gas, Car, Truck and Agriculture Museum is located just north of Shreve and 15 minutes south of Wooster on state Route 226 at 7920 Shreve Road.