4 days ago
History on wheels: Framingham man restores century old car after 30-year hunt
The restored Bay State along with more than 150 other historic cars will be on display Sunday at the Bay State Motor Festival in Framingham.
The event took two years of planning by Executive Director Lemoine and his 'small army' of friends, family, and colleagues.
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The festival will take place from
9 a.m. to 2 p.m. on the lawn of Cushing Memorial Park at 80 Dudley Road.
Lemoine called the event 'a big history lesson,' where car enthusiasts from across New England and beyond will celebrate Massachusetts' history as the birthplace of the American automobile, according to historians.
Before World War II, Massachusetts bolstered a booming automotive industry, home to over 160 manufacturers, including R.H. Long Motor company, which made the Bay State.
Only about 4,000 Bay States were made over its four years of production before R.H. Long Motor Company, now
A Bay State automobile in Framingham Centre.
Framingham Historical Center
Right when Lemoine had accepted that he would never find a model of the car, 'the Bay State found me,' he said.
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In 2016, Lemoine acquired the car from an Iowa man who had contacted the
The former history center director put the two men in touch, Lemoine said.
The Iowa man gifted the Bay State on two conditions: Lemoine take him to a Red Sox game and give him a ride in the car when it was restored.
After nearly eight years of work and help from expert craftsmen, Lemoine finished the Bay State, returning the 101-year-old car to its former glory.
'I knew it was going to be a long-term restoration case ... I wanted to do it right,' Lemoine said. 'It's a part of Framingham history.'
R.H. Long Motor Company, previously a shoe manufacturer, drove the state and local economy, at one point employing about 20% of metrowest's population, Lemoine said.
A market swing in the mid 1920s caused many of the automotive manufacturers to dissolve.
Companies such as Ford outcompeted local businesses who outsourced production of interior parts like the engine. This method, involving middlemen, drove up costs. In 1924, a Bay State Sedan sold for about $2,500, while a Ford Model T went for about $500, Lemoine said.
Bay State advertisement displaying varying models of the car.
Ken Lemoine
While many local motor companies were forced out of business a century ago, Massachusetts retains its automotive history.
'Massachusetts is where is all started,' Lemoine said.
And for that reason, Lemoine has an ambitious vision for the future of the Bay State Motor Festival.
He hopes it will become a large, annual celebration, bringing Framingham's vibrant automotive history to an audience beyond typical car enthusiasts.
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'It's an event for everyone to enjoy, it's for families,' Lemoine said.
Sunday's festival is free to all.
The event will host food trucks and several performers, Lemoine said.
'A tremendous amount of history is going to be on that lawn,' Lemoine said. 'Car culture in New England is second only to about California ... to bring that culture together is really what we're trying to do.'
Sarah Mesdjian can be reached at
