Today we’re east bound and down, loaded up and truckin’ our way to the beautiful small town of Cherryville, North Carolina. We’ve got a long way to go and a short time to get there. So, let’s get started.

Welcome to the C. Grier Beam Truck Museum – telling the story of one of the most successful commercial transport companies in the early history of the industry. If you’re a fan of the big rigs then you better believe it, this is the place for you.

The museum tells the story of Carolina Freight Carriers Corporation that all started here because a kid fresh out of college had to shift gears. In 1932 C. Grier Beam (a recent graduate of NC State… hence the Wolfpack Red color of these beautiful behemoths) wanted a career in agriculture. But the economy had other plans and in order to make some money he bought a 1931 Chevy ½ ton stake-body truck for $500 and started hauling freight.

From coal, to produce, to textiles Carolina Freight was carrying the load all over the country by the mid 1970’s. And in 1982 as part of the company’s 50th anniversary, the C. Grier Beam Truck Museum was born.

Here you can explore trucks spanning the 20’s, 30’s, 40’s, 50’s, and 60’s. These vehicles are beautifully restored and feature plenty of character and quirks – from hand-crank windshield wipers to in-cab engines to sleeper trailers. This place is over 7500 square feet of vintage trucks and trucking memorabilia covering more than seven decades.

Here you can learn a lot and gain a healthy appreciation for those hard working men and women who have kept the wheels of our economy turning. Those big rigs you see on the road might be a little intimidating on the interstate – and yeah, maybe a little frustrating if you get caught behind one carrying a heavy load. But those big ole transfer trucks are carrying the stuff our lives are made of.

So, give ‘em some room. Maybe give ‘em one of these. And give the truck lover in your life directions to the C. Grier Beam Truck Museum.