By Patricia Scheyer
NKyTribune reporter
When people think of the word ‘honk’ they probably think about cars. After all, cars honk their horns whenever the drivers want to gain the attention of others.
Now there is another connection between honk and cars.
There is a vintage car museum at 21 Kenton Lands Road in Erlanger that opened in May of 2022 that has over 250 vehicles billed as the ‘most mind-blowing private car collection in the midwest.’ It is called Collection 21: Memories from the Past.
That museum has a partnership with HONK, Housing Opportunities of Northern Kentucky, and 100 percent of the proceeds from the museum goes to HONK to help them with the good work they are doing to help the people of Northern Kentucky find affordable housing.
“We most recently built a couple of homes in Erlanger on Woodward and Division at the height of COVID,” said David Hastings, Executive Director of HONK, at the recent Erlanger council meeting, where they and the museum were in the business spotlight. “We are a home ownership program and we do lease to own, so we help folks transition from renting to home ownership. We just celebrated with our 113th home owner in Northern Kentucky. We serve Campbell, Kenton and Boone Counties. We are very proud to be involved with Collection 21 in Erlanger.”
A video was shown at the meeting which was shot by Brandon Farris and several of the cars were featured in the video, narrated by Frank Henn, who is a HONK volunteer.
“I’ve been to a lot of car museums in other states, and I have never seen this volume of cars and trucks that this building houses,” Henn explained “To me that is really impressive.”
The collection includes a 1903 Oldsmobile curved dash, a 1911 red Ford Model T, a 1937 Cord 812 Phaeton, a 1956 Cadillac Eldorado, a few 1963 split window Corvettes, a 1982 DeLorean, and a Lionel model train, because they are all vintage, and they are all interesting to see.
“It is such an amazing and unique collaboration that we have with Collection 21, and it brings in so much fundraising on an annual basis,” said Ainsley McDougal, Marketing and Community Outreach Director for HONK. “It’s just really special, and it's also a way for people to find out about our organization, and all the work that we’re doing in Northern Kentucky.”
Since Collection 21 opened in May of 2022, they have raised tens of thousands of dollars to benefit HONK.
“The museum is truly one of Erlanger’s hidden gems,” said Erlanger Director of Economic Development and Assistant City Administrator Mark Collier. “It is the kind of place you might not expect to find in your own backyard, but once you step inside you realize how special it is. The fact that we have something so unique right here in our city is exciting —- it’s a reminder of the rich history and culture that make Erlanger such a great place to live and visit.”
HONK is a non-profit faith-based organization that has had over 30 years of success in helping to guide families and individuals on the path of home ownership.
They help by rehabbing older homes, and building new homes. They are able to keep it affordable by having volunteers who offer free labor, and also donations from generous people who believe in their mission.
HONK headquarters is located at 502 Fry street in Covington, and they can be reached at 859-581-4665. The website is honkhomes.org.
Collection 21 is open to the public on Fridays and Saturdays from 10 a.m.-4 p.m., but the last entry is at 3 p.m., so that they can close at 4 p.m. The suggested donation for the museum is $15, and again, 100 percent of the profits go to HONK.
The city of Erlanger has always supported HONK as well as the Collection 21 Museum.
“Honk is an incredible program that makes a real lasting impact in our community,” said Erlanger Mayor Jessica Fette. “Their commitment to providing affordable housing and helping families build stability aligns with our vision for a strong and thriving Erlanger. We’re proud to support their efforts and the positive change they bring to our city.”
There is a great museum in Elizabeth, Colorado with approximately 750 cars. The Rambler Ranch. It has been around for 31 years. A truly great place to visit.