Harold E. LeMay (September 4, 1919 – 2000) was the owner of Harold LeMay Enterprises, a refuse company in the Tacoma, Washington metro area. Harold LeMay amassed the largest privately owned collection of automobiles, motorcycles, trucks, all manner of other vehicles and related memorabilia in the world. At its peak, the LeMay Collection numbered in excess of 3,000 vehicles and thousands of "automobilia" artifacts. The Collection, recognized by many as a national treasure, represents the American experience with the automobile as it spans the 20th century and features virtually every American make, as well as numerous foreign cars. Currently, the bulk of the LeMay Collection is still housed on LeMay property. Many of the automobiles are in the process of being donated to the LeMay Museum in order to be accessible to the public.
The LeMay Collection was listed in the Guinness Book of World Records in 1997 as the largest privately owned car collection in the world.
Each summer until his death in 2000, Harold LeMay, his wife Nancy, and their family would open their estate for an annual car show. This tradition has continued each summer on the last Saturday in August when thousands of visitors have the opportunity to view this vast collection. Hundreds of Harold LeMay's cars will be displayed at "America's Car Museum" in Tacoma, Washington when it is scheduled to open in the fall of 2011, immediately west of the Tacoma Dome. Currently, the LeMay - America's Car Museum is open to the public on the historic Marymount grounds in Spanaway, WA.
This is just a very small representation of the vehicles that are spread over multiple buildings on the property.
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