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I was driving to Nashville today and I found a flier for a Coke museum at a rest stop so I went to check it out. It is in Evensville KY  about 40 miles south of louisville and is the most amazing collection of Coke machines and signs I have ever seen. They say it is the largest privately owned Coca Cola collection in the world. They have a ton of very rare machines. Even two Vendo decapper's and several odd coolers I have never seen before. I will post some pictures. I took over 200 pictures so if anyone sees anything they want a better picture of let me know and I will either send it or post it. I tried to get a picture of every machine and most signs.

More Pics. Check out the early porcelain cooler in the last pic. I have never seen one before and this one was about flawless.

That looks really cool! How does the vendo decapper work? Is it that really big thing with the S tracks in it?

Here is more

Here are some signs

More signs and the inside of the decapper. I won't post too much more but there is so much great stuff in this place.

Keep the pictures coming! Great stuff.

More trucks, signs and the oldest bottler left in existence

The last pic is the most amazing soda fountain I have ever seen. I forgot what year but it was a part of the worlds fair.

What an amazing collection

Decapper pics

 I beleive This Is The Schmitt Museum . I was There 3-4 ago . It Used to Be in the Welcome / Vistiors Building

Great pictures... thanks for posting...

Yep they moved into their own building. The lady said this is still less than half of the total collection but a lot more than they had in the old building. Its amazing. It is $5 per person to go in so it is not free but I felt it was worth the money. I may even go back. I also hit several antique malls along the way and found nothing.

where does someone find all this stuff and to have the $$ to do so?

Ive been there do a search for schmidt Coca Cola I posted around 40 or so pictures. The Schmidt Family had been in business since the early days of Coca Cola and never thrown anything away. They started collecting hardcore in the 1970s and never looked back!

Joey

Very cool!
Does this museum have a website? What is the name of it?

So this is different than the one in Elizabeth Town Kentucky? I thought there was a Coca-Cola museum there too? or maybe it's the same stuff?
Very Very Cool.. Definately worth a trip someday!
Looks very similiar to my collection.... except for the big trucks, and ok they have a few more machines and signs, and alot more space and more coolers, and a bottling machine and that type of stuff.. but pretty darn close.. :biggrin:

It may be Elizabeth town. I just know it was 40 miles south of Louisville on I65. Its worth the $5 to get in thats for sure.

WOW! all pristine originals to boot! Thanks for sharing the pics. Keep em coming 8)

WOW! Should would love a decapper for my cup collection!!!  :drinking:

Brian

Yes, the Schmidt Museum is in Elizabethtown, KY.
The family hasn't bottled since the late 90s. This museum *used* to be a part of the
actual bottling plant. You were able to get to the entrance by walking along a catwalk above
the bottling floor as the work was being done.
There is 2 decappers on display. I think the plaque mentions that it takes 16 steps to
work to open a bottle and fill the cup. There is also a huge machine that vended whole
6packs (cans). I assume it was dispensed boxed?
Definately worth $5. You should prepare to spend several hours.
Terry

great photo's thanks for sharing

Thanks for sharing Josh.  Here's a link (http://www.schmidtmuseum.com/) that I found for the museum.  I'll have to check that out sometime!

Wow, very sharp.

Very nice, thanks for sharing.

It's Elizabethtown, I've been there a couple of times. My brother lives near Louisville and I try to stop on and check out the museum whenever I am in town.

Thanks for sharing the photos.