By Dave Schwab | SDUN Reporter

Exhibitors are revving their engines in anticipation of the Second North Park Historical Society Car Show Saturday, Sept. 10 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. behind North Park Theatre at 2930 North Park Way.

The free event will feature a plethora of historic vehicles vying for first, second, and third place as well as People’s Choice trophies. Parking will be available nearby in the North Park Parking Garage from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

“Last year we had 40 cars exhibit, and this year we’re hoping for 50,” said Katherine Hon, secretary of the

North Park Historical Society. Thirty people have already signed up. “We’re encouraging people to submit their applications and register by Sept. 6,” she added. North Park Historical Society members Randy Sappenfield and “Broker Bill” Vivian are both exhibiting cars in this year’s show. Sappenfield says he and Vivian were the ones who “put the bee in the bonnet” of the historical society to host the inaugural car
show last year.

It’s helpful, added Sappenfield, that the classic car exhibit is being held in the parking lot behind the historic North Park Theatre, which may attract visitors to the event.

“Any kind of activity that brings people to see the historic core of the area is a good thing,” he said.

“The car show is turning out to be a breadwinner for the historical society,” said Vivian, noting the event was started a year ago specifically to raise money for the North Park Historical Society to fund local North Park projects. Those projects, he said, run the gamut from getting more information out to the public about the historical significance of homes and buildings in the neighborhood to attempts to save community
landmarks.

One such community landmark to be saved is the neighborhood’s iconic green water tower.

“It was built in 1924 and we’re working to get it designated as a historic landmark,” said Hon. “We
want to see it saved.”

Hon added the Historical Society will apply to the city’s Historical Resources Board to begin the process to get the water tower historically designated.

Another North Park Historical Society Member, Bob Bauer, will be exhibiting again this year, displaying two cars. One is his British 1954 MG TF, the last in a line of midget cars with small engines and small odies. “Only
9,600 of them were built during an 18-month period,” he said.

Bauer’s other entry in the car show is a 1959 MG Replica Roadster, a vehicle that was the predecessor to the more widely popular MGB, thousands of which were exported to the United States.

Bauer said he likes exhibiting his cars at North Park because of the timing of the event.

“I like that this show is on a Saturday versus a Sunday and that, unlike a lot of shows, it doesn’t start early in the morning,” he said.

Bauer also stressed the thrill in collecting antique cars is not just in possessing them. “They’re a part of history and I like being part of preserving them,” he said. “I feel like a steward of cars versus possessing them. People have owned them before me, and I’m sure people will own them after me — if I take care of them.”

Hon said the idea behind the historical society’s car event is to “celebrate our community and bring people to North Park.”

Bauer added the car show was created by the Historical Society to preserve something old — the
resources in North Park that are of historical significance. “We need to combine new things going
on with protecting historical properties,” he said.

Hon said he hopes the car show, like the North Park Historical Society that spawned it, will evolve with the times.

“This is a signature event of our community,” she said. “It’s our responsibility now as a community to grow it.”

For more information visit www.northparkhistory.org or call 619-294-8990.