Tremont in Cleveland in Cuyahoga County, Ohio — The American Midwest (Great Lakes)
1938 Oldsmobile Touring Sedan
House From A Christmas Story
Photographed by Craig Doda, March 8, 2026
1. 1938 Oldsmobile Touring Sedan Marker
"Some men are Baptists, others Catholics. My father was an Oldsmobile man.
Despite the fact that the movie A Christmas Story was shot on a small budget, producers sought to make the film historically accurate. To accomplish this, the use of several vintage cars was donated by local Cleveland car collectors. The 1938 Oldsmobile was a full-size car that sold for around $900 MSRP and was advertised as a car that featured a combination of power, economy and luxury at a reasonable price. Approximately 140,000 were built that year.
The 4-door touring sedan used in the movie appeared frequently. This car was portrayed as being troublesome, and the "Old Man" would complain that it would "freeze up in the middle of the summer on the equator!" The most infamous scene in which this car was featured was when Ralphie assisted his father in changing a flat tire and dropped the lug nuts. Ralphie blurted out, Ohhhh Fuuuuudge!" Only we all know, he didn't say fudge! As punishment, his mother washed his mouth out with Lifebuoy soap. We can't help but fall in love with the tender and relatable moments such as singing Christmas carols on the way home from picking out the Christmas tree, or when the family had to go out for Chinese dinner after the Bumpus' dogs ate the Christmas turkey.
The Old
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Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Arts, Letters, Music • Entertainment • Industry & Commerce • Roads & Vehicles. A significant historical year for this entry is 1938.
Location. 41° 28.114′ N, 81° 41.272′ W. Marker is in Cleveland, Ohio, in Cuyahoga County. It is in Tremont. It is at the intersection of West 11th Street and Rowley Avenue, on the right when traveling south on West 11th Street. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 1103 Rowley Ave, Cleveland OH 44109, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Regionally, this marker is on Ohio’s Lake Erie Shore and in the Western Reserve. It is also in the American Midwest and on the Great Lakes. Globally, it is in North America, the Western Hemisphere, the Western World, and the Anglosphere. Historically, it finds itself in what was once the Haudenosaunee (Iroquois) Confederacy, the territory of the Mississippian Culture, and the Northwest Territory.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 2 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies: Stuck, Stuck, STUCK! (here, next to this marker); On This Site (approx. 0.8 miles away); A Nation in Crises: A Community Responds (approx. 1.1 miles away); In memoriam (approx. 1.1 miles away); a different marker also named Camp Cleveland (approx. 1.1 miles away); Weapon of War (approx. 1.1 miles away); Irvine U. Masters (approx. 1.1 miles away); Thomas Holmden (approx. 1.1 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Cleveland.
Another marker is no longer nearby. Camp Cleveland (was approx. 1.1 miles
Photographed by Craig Doda, March 8, 2026
2. 1938 Oldsmobile Touring Sedan
Credits. This page was last revised on April 15, 2026. It was originally submitted on April 10, 2026, by Craig Doda of Napoleon, Ohio. This page has been viewed 9 times since then. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on April 10, 2026, by Craig Doda of Napoleon, Ohio. • Devry Becker Jones was the editor who published this page.
