House of Poverty Museum

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I drove by this place daily for a week before curiosity got the best of me.  From the outside it looked like a collection of junk but once inside what a collection of treasures it held.  The volunteer curator was older than most of the artifacts and he was more than willing to talk about most anything. 

Monty Holm, a hobo during the depression and later a successful businessman, collected a massive amout of late 19th and early 20th century antiques.  As a scrap metal dealer he focused on anything related to industrial uses of metal and anything that reminded him of his early years.  Gas engines, trains, cars, and the largest collection of branding irons I have ever seen.  He has written a book about his hobo years but at this moment I can't remember the title.  The few photos here do not do justice to the collection.

Monty passed away a few years ago and his collection has passed on to his children.  They have not kept up the collection and are slowly selling off pieces for the money.  It is a shame because this is a collection that reflects the ingenuity of American industry and  should somehow be preserved.  Anyone have a friend at the Smithsonian?

....Gary

This page was last updated: December 16, 2007