BROOKLIN AND THE HARRAH’S MUSEUM

Bill Harrah was a prominent gaming pioneer who founded Harrah’s Hotels and Casinos. He also was an enthusiast car collector and founded the Harrah’s Automobile Collection which opened to the public in 1962 and grew to the largest, most historically significant collection of its time reaching approximately 1400 vehicles. After his death, in 1978, Holiday Inns purchased Harrah’s Hotels and Casinos and Harrah’s Automobile Collection. Holiday Inns donated 175 cars and the research library to the future nonprofit museum and sold the rest of the Harrah collection at record-setting auctions in 1984, 1985 and 1986, as well as by private sales. The idea for the Harrah’s Museum developed following the death of Bill Harrah. With generous donations from the City of Reno, the State of Nevada and many individuals and organizations, the Museum opened on November 5, 1989 and it is now one of the greatest America’s automobile museums. Three special Brooklin models were commissioned for the auctions of the Harrah’s Automobile Collection in 1984, 1985, 1986.

1933 Pierce Arrow Silver Arrow

1940 Ford Sedan Delivery

1948 Tucker Torpedo

Author: Gianluigi Cappi

You may find more pictures and information on this model plus many other Brooklin stories in the Brooklin Models Collectors Guide.