Usually, there's no parking allowed inside the galleries of the Peoria Riverfront Museum. But an exception has been made for an exhibition featuring a unique Ford Model T that took a gaggle of central Illinois women on adventures across North America. The girls met movie stars, charmed a titan of industry and became a depression-era viral sensation.
The Gypsy Coeds Ride Again
Published January 4, 2016 at 7:30 AM CST
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The Sliver Streak
Laura Kennedy / WGLT
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The Sliver Streak
Laura Kennedy / WGLT
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The Gypsy Coeds in the Silver Streak
Laura Kennedy / WGLT
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The Gypsy Coeds in the Silver Streak
Laura Kennedy / WGLT
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Lizzie Label on The Silver Streak
Laura Kennedy / WGLT
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Lizzie Label on The Silver Streak
Laura Kennedy / WGLT
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Ford joke book
Laura Kennedy / WGLT
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Ford joke book
Laura Kennedy / WGLT
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Lizzie Labels cover the SIlver Streak
Laura Kennedy / WGLT
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Lizzie Labels cover the SIlver Streak
Laura Kennedy / WGLT
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This is a jacket worn by John Butte's mom, Regina during her time as a Gypsy Coed
Laura Kennedy / WGLT
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This is a jacket worn by John Butte's mom, Regina during her time as a Gypsy Coed
Laura Kennedy / WGLT
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The Gypsy Coeds out west.
Laura Kennedy / WGLT
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The Gypsy Coeds out west.
Laura Kennedy / WGLT
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Photo bearing Henry Ford's signature
Laura Kennedy / WGLT
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Photo bearing Henry Ford's signature
Laura Kennedy / WGLT
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The Gypsy Coeds helping out the USO
Laura Kennedy / WGLT
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The Gypsy Coeds helping out the USO
Laura Kennedy / WGLT
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Close up of the Silver Streak's grill.
Laura Kennedy / WGLT
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Close up of the Silver Streak's grill.
Laura Kennedy / WGLT
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They're card carrying Gypsy Coeds, alright!
Laura Kennedy / WGLT
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They're card carrying Gypsy Coeds, alright!
Laura Kennedy / WGLT
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More Lizzie Labels
Laura Kennedy / WGLT
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More Lizzie Labels
Laura Kennedy / WGLT
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Sadly, the HOllywood autographs haven't survived the years, but there's plenty to read on The Silver Streak.
Laura Kennedy / WGLT
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Sadly, the HOllywood autographs haven't survived the years, but there's plenty to read on The Silver Streak.
Laura Kennedy / WGLT
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John Butte and his wife, Carmen.
Laura Kennedy / WGLT
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John Butte and his wife, Carmen.
Laura Kennedy / WGLT
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The Sliver Streak in all her glory.
Laura Kennedy / WGLT
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The Sliver Streak in all her glory.
Laura Kennedy / WGLT
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There's no trunk on The Silver Streak, so the girls improvised a way to keep their luggage safe on the running board.
Laura Kennedy / WGLT
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There's no trunk on The Silver Streak, so the girls improvised a way to keep their luggage safe on the running board.
Laura Kennedy / WGLT
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The Silver Streak
Laura Kennedy / WGLT
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The Silver Streak
Laura Kennedy / WGLT
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Souvenir of the Coeds visit to the Dionne Quintuplets
Laura Kennedy / WGLT
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Souvenir of the Coeds visit to the Dionne Quintuplets
Laura Kennedy / WGLT
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Movie star Don Ameche signs the Silver Streak
Laura Kennedy / WGLT
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Movie star Don Ameche signs the Silver Streak
Laura Kennedy / WGLT
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That's Henry Ford posing with the Gypsy Coeds.
Laura Kennedy / WGLT
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That's Henry Ford posing with the Gypsy Coeds.
Laura Kennedy / WGLT