A Rare Find!

Ed Angell, 305 E. Stenman Rd., Poulsbo, WA 98370

While delivering some equipment as a favor to a business acquaintance, I had one of those experiences that literally leaves you speechless. I had undertaken the role as a truck driver on the sole promise that the individual that I was going to meet on the other end was real interesting. The teaser was that this gentleman had some very nice antique electrical equipment housed in a small store front just 90 miles to the north of me. I'll spare you the details of the drive and get to the heart of this story.

Wow! Almost in my back yard I found the Bellingham Antique Radio Museum. Being a complete freak for all things electrical, like most of you in TCBA, I thought I had driven right to heaven. Within the museum were housed some of the finest examples of radios, x-ray tubes, sparkgap transmitters, unique vacuum tubes, phonographs, and a myriad of other electrical devices. I must admit that the museum fell a little short by not including toasters and irons - just kidding. Amazingly, almost all of the devices on display are in working order.

The director of the museum, Jonathan Winter, turned out to be one of those super dedicated individuals like Harry Goldman. For Jonathan, what started as a childhood curiosity as to how radios worked has turned into one of the finest private educational museums in the country. With an emphasis on education, the museum is in the process of designing a major expansion program and is in search for corporate donors. Along with the educational benefits of the museum, they also assist people like us in researching old electrical gadgets and in many cases are a good source for arcane components.

For those of you looking for a real thrill of the electrical type, visit this museum and I promise that you won't be disappointed. The museum is located at 1315 Railroad Ave., Bellingham, WA 98226, For those who cruise the net, you can find their Web Site at www.antique∼radio.org/radio.html or E-Mail Jonathan at [email protected] for further information. I think it's very important to support private museums in any way we can. Without people like Jonathan, a lot of the antique equipment we so dearly love would be lost forever. (Editor: The museum's snail mail address is 1421 Saint Paul St., Bellingham, WA 98226)

(Photos supplied by the Bellingham Antique Radio Museum)