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As winter draws on, and I'm snowed out of the garage, I done some research type leg work. I've tracked down one of the previous owners of my 52 and found a little more history on the car. In doing this I've got a few rumors on a dealership that was supposed to be near here. As all I have to go on are rumors, is there any way to validate them? I'm interested in maybe a few photos or an old address. The original building may even still be around due to the fact that most from the 30s are still here and being used. Thanks for your input.

I would go to the local library, Mike, and ask the reference librarian. This is the sort of thing they're good at researching!

In the distributor/dealer list from about 1940 it shows the dealer in Asheville to be F&G Motors at 21 N. Market St.
The distributor was C.W. Upchurch in Charlotte which actually stayed in business up until the 60's.

If you're reasonably sure of the community where the Packard dealer was located, then local libraries, as MIDan suggested, can be a good starting point.

The city where my dad worked as a Packard mechanic had kept old phone books dating back to the late 1940, and I found the dealer listed in their Yellow Pages. They also had old editions of the Polk Directory. Better yet, they had the local paper on microfilm, going back many years. It took plenty of time, but I scanned all the the issues from late 1954 through 1956, looking for examples of advertising by that dealer. For such a comparatively small store, I was surprise at what I found.

Aside from that, it was a wonderful trip back in time. Perhaps I'm being a bit nostaligic, but those old newspapers seemed like a much more pleasant read than what is published thses days.

You could then look to any local historical societies for addititonal help in finding information and actual photos of the dealership. A little genealogical research may be in order, as well; contacting descendants may yield additional info, ephemera, and even artifacts.

If you do not find a listing for the dealer, here at P'Info, as Guscha suggested, perhaps you can add some details from your research to help fill in the feature.

Thanks guys! Our local library may have more info, never thought of looking there.

21 n. Market is a bar/ food joint now. But I believe its the original building. I'll be downtown tomorrow and shall swing by the library and snap a dew pics.

Mike, on a side note I know that there was a manufacturing plant in Black Mountain that supplied wood parts to Packard at some point in time. Maybe you'll run across some info while you're looking. Also there was Sawyer Motor on Coxe Ave. but I think they were only a Studebaker dealer.