<<Click on the arrows to scroll through the collage !
Why Visit the Museum?
Entering the Forney Museum is very interesting when looking through the lens of a welder. The first thing you see when entering the museum is a collection of vintage Forney Welders, including some of the first production models. Similar to America and the majority of business, The Forney Museum would be nothing without welders, skilled tradesmen, and what they create. Forney was born in the Kissel, but without Forney welders, J.D. and his collection would not become iconic as they are now. The great connection between welding and transportation is also clearly on display here. The advancement of welding can be seen across the Forney museum, with items ranging from the 1800’s to the current. Massive welds can also be seen on exhibits such as “Big Boy” and the train track snow-blower, holding the beasts together.
Forney Welding Roots
Train Snow-blower
Fans of art, even if not a fan of transportation, will still have something to catch their eyes. Many automobiles, especially older vehicles rarely seen on the road any longer, were great examples of art. Great styling lines, chrome ornaments, and massive fins can be appreciated in a different way. Rotating exhibits also ensure a great variety of fine work details, ranging from beautiful pinstriping done in the early 1900’s, to incredibly detailed paintwork and etch work on custom lowriders (check Forney Transportation Museums website to see current exhibit).
Along side the vehicles themselves, The Forney Museum has many different examples of the advertising and apparel that helped sell or came with the featured vehicles. This unique perspective of pop-culture as the products of some of the most pervasive messages in society are hung on the walls, or parked on the floor. Viewing the signature styles of multiple companies and time periods is a highlight of going to the museum.
Multiple facets of American history are captured at the Forney Museum. The collection started during the Great depression, and spanned past the 50’s capturing very different but still incredibly important times in U.S. history. The collection captures many of the inventions we have forgotten through the years of technological innovation. Many U.S. military vehicles also make up a portion of the collection, demonstrating the clever and sometimes odd way the military moved around.
Entrepreneurship:
Although one of the understated portions of the museum, business and entrepreneurship was an important piece of the museum itself. The massive collection, of which is never fully on display, is the direct result of great business people and entrepreneurs. Most prominently, J.D. Forney and James Arneil, both prominent Colorado businessmen, combined their collections to create the original Forney Museum. Successful Colorado businessmen like Walter Timme are also featured with their later additions to the museum including the Triumph and Indian Motorcycle exhibits. Many business successes as well as failures are shown at the museum. Prototypes are also seen, most notably a sea and air plane that was far ahead of it’s time.
