The Lockwood-Mathews Mansion Museum presents a vintage car talk with John J. O’Leary
Classic Car Culture & History-Making James Melton
Stepping Stones Museum for Children’s Multimedia Gallery • 303 West Ave., Norwalk, CT
May 18, 2025
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Classic Car Culture & History-Making James Melton.
On Sunday, May 18, 2025, 2-4 p.m., The Lockwood-Mathews Mansion Museum will present a talk by automotive historian John J. O’Leary IV titled, “Classic Car Culture & History-Making James Melton.”
The talk will be held at Stepping Stones Museum for Children’s Multimedia Gallery, 303
West Ave., Norwalk, CT. To reserve tickets, attendees can visit the Events page on the
Museum’s website at www.lockwoodmathewsmansion.com. Admission is $15 for members, $20 for non-members. Light refreshments will be offered following the presentation.
James Melton was known as ‘America’s Favorite Tenor’ from the 1920s through the 1950s. His fame as a singer, however, was eventually eclipsed by his passion for collecting classic, antique, and vintage cars.
Kathy Olsen, Lecture Committee Chair said, “I am certain that Mr. O’Leary’s talk will thrill our museum audience as well as car lovers and history buffs alike. At the turn of the 20 th century, the Mathews purchased their first car, a Bridgeport-made Locomobile, which was kept in the estate’s stone carriage house. They employed a full-time chauffeur, Thomas Goggins, who stayed with the family for 41 years.”
This well-illustrated lecture by Mr. O’Leary will revisit the life of renowned tenor and car
collector James Melton and explore his automotive history following a recent discovery ofdocuments, photographs and artifacts dating back to the 1940s. These documents had been missing for over 70 years, since the closure of the Melton Museum, one of Connecticut’s major tourist attractions in 1953. Mr. O’Leary will take guests on a journey of discovery highlighting local stories and connecting Mr. Melton to national events with politicians and celebrities who loved cars and knew James Melton.
Mr. O’Leary has an active research agenda exploring topics related to the history of the
automobile. His interests include renowned automobile restorer Gustav Reuter (Reuter’s Coach Work in the Bronx, NY), famed collector James Melton (Melton Museum and James Melton Autorama), and the saga of the 1939 Mercedes-Benz 540K ‘Aktion P’ (chassis # 408377) from WWII. As the archivist for Reuter’s Coach Works, he provides information to private individuals and companies such as RM Sotheby’s, Bonhams, and Bloomberg Intelligence for investment-quality automobiles in the global automotive scene.
John O’Leary has taught a wide variety of courses in business, economics, strategy, and
international business at both the undergraduate and graduate levels for the University of
Hartford, University of Denver, Goodwin University, and Post University. He has worked on a variety of projects in cities around the world including Prague, London, Singapore, Bangkok, and Dubai for companies such as Pratt & Whitney, OTIS Elevator, and Prague Studios.
LMMM’s Lecture Series is sponsored in part by The DiNardo-Aiello Family Fund and
Designer/Artist/Author Gail Ingis. A special thanks to Stepping Stones Museum for Children for hosting this event. LMMM’s 2025 programs are made possible in part by LMMM’s Founding Patrons: The Estate of Mrs. Cynthia Clark Brown; LMMM’s Leadership Patrons: Dr. Michele and Attorney Miklos Koleszar and The Sealark Foundation; and LMMM’s 2025 Season Distinguished Benefactors: The City of Norwalk, The Maurice Goodman Foundation, Inc., and Lockwood-Mathews Foundation, Inc.
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