Civil and Municipal - Mar 2023

79 CIVIL AND MUNICIPAL VOLUME 4, ISSUE 3 of Art Deco architecture in the Midwest. “You step in those doors and you experience firsthand what E.L. Cord and those designers were experiencing – the 12,000 square-foot Art Deco showroom, the marketing offices, design studios, clay modeling studios, executive offices, board room, etc.,” Anderson says. The museum is one of the top automotive museums in the country and consistently draws visitors from all 50 states and more than 40 countries worldwide. The building is over 100,000 square feet, with more than 120 vehicles on display. “Pretty much everybody is blown away when they come through the museum for the first time and realize all that is here,” Anderson says. “It’s one of the most unique places and we are a core part of this town.” Eckhart and his philanthropy roots run deep in the city, including in the city’s Eckhart Public Library, built in 1910 with his support. The library is a place to embrace the city’s historical and modern cultural achievements, says Katie Mullins, executive director of the Eckhart Public Library. “We have the history side of our building and we love to give tours. We have an extensive art collection that people can come visit, and we have a beautiful fountain behind the library that was also donated by Charles Eckhart in 1910,” Mullins explains. “We can incorporate that historical side of the city, as well as the future and the modern present day for our patrons.” The library is home to its own genealogical center that draws people from out of town to come to research their roots, as well as a teen center that allows the city’s younger citizens a place to hang out, read, craft, or play video games in a safe and welcoming environment. The library hosts a variety of events, and offers a place to check out new books – and also some unconventional items as well. AUBURN, INDIANA