The showpiece of the charity event is The Bahre Collection of antique and Classic cars. The collection, housed at the birthplace of Hannibal Hamlin, Abraham Lincoln’s first vice-president, is open once a year to the public at the Founder’s Day event.
The collection of over fifty vehicles includes one of the world’s finest assemblages of Packards. The Packard collection features Dietrich V-windshield body styles and LeBaron V-windshield body styles on the Packard 12 chassis for 1932-34, the one-off front-wheel-drive prototype sedan, a 1906 Model S touring car and other specialty Packards.
The collection highlights American Classics such as Duesenbergs, Cadillac, Stutz, and Graham-Paige; foreign Classics such as Delahaye, Isotta Fraschini, Hispano-Suiza, Mercedes-Benz and Alfa-Romeo; and an eclectic grouping of brass-era cars (including two electric cars), a Tucker, a Harley-Davidson, the original Chitty-Chitty-Bang-Bang II from 1921, and later-model sports cars. Along with the vehicles there is an antique doll and toy collection, horse-drawn carriages, player pianos, old phonographs, table-top instruments and a jukebox.
Founder’s Day festivities include a crafts fair, and food vendors. The charity event is scheduled for Saturday July 18th, 2025 from 9 am to 5 pm on the Paris Hill Green, rain or shine. Donations for admission to The Bahre Collection are $15 for adults and $2 for children 12 and under. All proceeds from admissions will support the Hamlin Memorial Library and Museum.
Further information is available from the Hamlin Memorial Library at [email protected], by phone at 207-743-2980, or online at www.hamlin.lib.me.us.
