Dale Walksler dedicated his life to the preservation of American Motorcycling history, founding the Wheels Through Time museum in 1993. He passed away in 2021 and now his family are planning a tribute to him with a special event at the museum.

Wheels Through Time Planning Tribute to Founder Dale Walkser

Many museums are silent celebrations of the collections they house. When the museum houses cars or bikes, that silence is even more poignant: they were built to be driven or ridden and to see them as static displays is to see them out of their natural habitat.

Dale Walksler had no intention of his motorcycle museum being anything like that. His proud boast was that every single one of the exhibits was in running condition, no matter the cosmetic condition, and he would frequently demonstrate even the rarest machines in his collection.

Dale sadly passed away in February 2021, after a long battle with cancer but the museum lives on in the hands of his family, just as he would have wanted.

Now, the museum is planning a tribute to Walksler and his dedication to preserving the history of the American motorcycle. As 2022 is the 20th anniversary of the museum's opening, it is particularly appropriate.

From noon to 4 p.m. EST, April 2 at the WTT museum, Pastor and museum staff member Kris Estep will speak at 2 p.m., and many of Walksler’s closest friends and family will share some stories.

“We wanted to set aside a special day to celebrate the life and the vision of my dad,” said Matt Walksler, WTT museum curator and Dale’s son. “This day will be all about sharing the stories of his impact on people’s lives and his impact on the antique motorcycle world.”

Also debuting at Wheels Through Time will be “a comprehensive exhibit detailing Dale’s passion and vision.” This exhibit will showcase Walksler’s life, from opening his first Harley-Davidson dealership to growing the internationally acclaimed collection that is Wheels Through Time.

“This all-new exhibit gives museum guests an inside glimpse into the events and drive that shaped Dale and made Wheels Through Time what it is today,” Matt Walksler said.

The roots of the museum started in 1969, when Walksler lived in Illinois. In 1977 his collection was moved to his Harley Davidson dealership in Mount Vernon, Illinois. As the collection grew in size, the idea of opening a museum started to germinate in his mind. That eventually came to pass in 1993, when he purchased property in Maggie Valley, just outside the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, a popular touring destination.

The museum is a shrine to the early history of American motorcycle, with over 350 motorcycles on display, including such rarities as Crocker, Flying Merkel, Pope, Yale, Excelsior, and Henderson, as well as Indian and Harley Davidson.

“Dale had a passion that was contagious,” said Estep. “From the very first time you met him, you knew he was a man driven by an all-consuming vision.”

A Wheels Through Time press release states: “Through his passion, vision, and dedication coupled with contagious enthusiasm and generosity, he created not just a destination but an experience. His influence and reach extended through public appearances at antique motorcycle events and auctions, guest television appearances, and his network television shows. His impact and legacy continue through the Wheels Through Time Museum today.”

Wheels Through Time is the best kind of museum: a warm, immersive experience made all the better as it was built by a man with a huge passion for his subject. That passion lives on in every single exhibit and the museum is in safe hands to carry on Dale's work into the future.

If you are interested in the April 2nd event at the museum, it is free to attend. More information on the WTT website: www.wheelsthroughtime.com