Darlene’s Silver Streak and the Bradford Model T Girls
While most collectable cars have a story to tell, none are quite as unique as the Silver Streak. This 1926 Model T shuttled a host of young ladies around the country in the late 1930’s and early 40’s. It seems Darlene Dorgan of Bradford, Illinois had some serious wanderlust, loading up the Model T every summer with 4 or 5 friends and hitting the road. This included trips to New York, California, and even up to Detroit to meet Henry Ford himself. John G. Butte grew up hearing stories of these trips, as his mother and aunt were both passengers on a few of these excursions. His book Darlene’s Silver Streak and the Bradford Model T Girls is an excellently researched, if a bit repetitive, account of all of those trips. But, the author saves the best for last, as in 2011 he was able to track down the Silver Streak, just as Darlene had left it, and purchase it for himself. Ensuring that these great stories will be told for years to come.