Couple make $5-million donation to Shipshewana for Hudson Auto Museum

Greater Fort Wayne Business Weekly

The town of Shipshewana has received a $5-million donation to help establish the Hostetler Hudson Auto Museum.

According to a statement, Eldon and Esta Hostetler signed over ownership of their Hudson auto collection to the town. The announcement was made at a special meeting of the Shipshewana Redevelopment Commission at the Shipshewana Town Center.

The Hostetlers' collection of 48 cars was recently appraised at more than $4 million dollars and includes many rare and one-of-a-kind vehicles. The Hostetlers also donated land valued at more than $500,000 and created an endowment for the preservation and maintenance of the collection with an additional $500,000.

The Shipshewana Town Center and the museum were financed through a combination of grants, public funding and a partnership with private developer Focus Hospitality Services of Valparaiso that took over eight years to come to fruition.

The center and the Hostetler Hudson Auto Museum will officially open to the public at 9 a.m. Sept. 4. The center also houses the offices of the LaGrange County Convention and Visitors Bureau and the Shipshewana Area Historical Society. At a future date, the Shipshewana Retail Merchants Association and the Hudson Essex Terraplane Historical Society are expected to relocate to the facility.