Iola in Waupaca County, Wisconsin — The American Midwest (Great Lakes)
Birthplace of the Iola Old Car Show
Photographed By Paul Fehrenbach, May 2, 2012
1. Birthplace of the Iola Old Car Show Marker
The Iola Old Car Show’s birth was a humble one. Its origins date to July 16, 1972, when Chet Krause extended to a couple score area collector car enthusiasts of his acquaintance to attend the 17th annual Iola Lions Club Chicken Roast fundraiser held at the Ingval Olson Memorial Park as his guests. Having enticed them with the offer of two free chicken dinners if they would drive one of their vintage vehicles to the event, this resulted in the display of more than 20 vehicles, including Chet’s pair of vintage Model T Fords. The first “official” show was held on July 15, 1973 — billed as the “Iola Lions Club Antique Auto Festival, Chicken Roast and Donation Auction” – with more than 90 collector cars on exhibit. Launch of the Old Cars newspaper in the fall of 1971 provided Chet’s impetus for the 1972 invitation, stimulated his latent interest in old cars as a hobby, and drove a developmental interest in growing the event, that by 1977 grew into being widely known and now billed as the Iola Old Car Show. In 1976 the event moved to the grounds adjoining the new (late 1975) Krause Publications location
this page online
Erected 2011 by Iola Historical Society. (Marker Number 4.)
Topics. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Roads & Vehicles. A significant historical month for this entry is July 1936.
Location. 44° 30.593′ N, 89° 7.452′ W. Marker is in Iola, Wisconsin, in Waupaca County. Marker is on Water Street (County Route G) half a mile east of Main Street (Wisconsin Highway 49), on the left when traveling east. Marker is located at Taylor Field in Ingval Olson Memorial Park. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Iola WI 54990, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. Slaughter House Ski Hill (approx. 0.2 miles away); Krause Publications (approx. 0.3 miles away); Iola’s Early History (approx. 0.3 miles away); Iola Veterans Memorial (approx. 0.3 miles away); Iola Mills (approx. 0.3 miles away); R. I. Anderson Machine Shop (approx. 0.3 miles away); Birthplace of Numismatic News (approx. 0.3 miles away); Iola Hospital (approx. 0.4 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Iola.
Photographed By Paul Fehrenbach, May 2, 2012
2. Birthplace of the Iola Old Car Show Marker
Reverse Side
Photographed By Paul Fehrenbach, May 2, 2012
3. Close up of photo on reverse side
Seventeen vintage vehicles displayed at the 1972 Iola Old Car Show are captured in this Taylor Field Photo at the Ingval Olson Memorial Park.
Photographed By Paul Fehrenbach, May 2, 2012
4. Birthplace of the Iola Old Car Show Marker
looking toward Taylor Field
Photographed By Paul Fehrenbach, May 2, 2012
5. Birthplace of the Iola Old Car Show Marker
looking east along CTH G
Credits. This page was last revised on October 13, 2020. It was originally submitted on May 8, 2012, by Paul Fehrenbach of Germantown, Wisconsin. This page has been viewed 1,219 times since then and 85 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. submitted on May 8, 2012, by Paul Fehrenbach of Germantown, Wisconsin. • Bernard Fisher was the editor who published this page.
