Valley Motor Sales

See larger photo HERE

At the time of this photo, Valley Motor Sales was a Ford dealership.  In a few years it would become Bert Wolfe Ford.  Later it would be Raines Lincoln Mercury, White Lincoln Mercury and Charleston Lincoln Mercury.  Today,  it's being remodeled for a Girl Scout camp. This is the corner of Virginia St. West at Maryland Ave.

This was the parts department next door.

A Little History

This business started out as Colonial Garage in 1925. It was the largest garage of it's type in the state.  It was also the classiest.  The building was designed with those fine Roman columns at a time when most garages were usually side street affairs.  I have to believe however that the idea of selling cars was in the owners mind also.  You see, in the early twenties there was a car dealership on almost every corner.  These dealerships were often no more than space to park a new car inside, and maybe a tiny garage area.  Many buildings downtown  that you'd never dream of as car dealerships actually were at one time.  Remember too that there were about 100 more models of cars back then than there are now, and most of these brands failed over a decade or so.  In this case,  Colonial Garage took-on the Chevrolet and Hupmobile dealerships.  The Hupmobile was built from 1909 through 1940 by the Hupp Motor Company for instance. Below is an example of the  Hupmobile that was sold at  Colonial Garage.

1929

In 1934, Elk Motor Sales buys out Colonial

VALLEY MOTORS BUYS OUT ELK IN  1938 Valley Motors was founded in South Charleston, and outgrew their facilities

So Valley Motors moved to Virginia St in 1938

By 1951, Valley Motor Sales had long been THE major Ford dealership in the Valley.

Around 1957, Bert Wolfe buys Valley.  It's called "The Bert Wolfe Ford Plantation"

The rest as they say is history.  Bert Wolfe later sells the location and moves to Patrick Street.  The dealership becomes a Lincoln-Mercury dealer, with Raines, and then Charleston Lincoln Mercury.

70s

Today

The building is being remodeled for a Girl Scout headquarters and camp.  

How it will look

Image courtesy of Marie McCauley,  Project Architect .  ZMM  Architects & Engineers

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