Lewis Antique Auto & Toy Museum

Established in 2003, Lewis Antique Auto and Toy Museum is along the north side of old Route 66 near the eastern edge of Moriarty. Archie Lewis (Jr.) established the museum at this location after moving his private collection from Albuquerque. The large, one-story building with garage-type doors is packed with antique cars and trucks, auto memorabilia, and antique toys. The displays overflow to the fenced-in parking lots in the front and rear of the building. The museum was the subject of a 2009 book by Beth Alexander with nearly 150 photos of the museum contents.

The Lewis Museum collection's Archie Lewis ("Archie Jr.") was born around 1936 in New Mexico and seems to have grown up around automobiles; the family moved a number of times. His father, Archie B. Lewis ("Archie Sr.") was born in 1915 in Abilene in Taylor County, Texas. Archie Sr. lived in Floyd County, Texas in 1940 where he worked as a machinist and blacksmith at a blacksmith shop. Archie Sr. shared his rented home with his wife, Blanche, and three children, including the oldest, Archie Jr., age 3; the other children were born in New Mexico or California. By 1950, the family lived in Vaughn, in Guadalupe County, N.M., where Archie Sr.'s occupation was proprietor of a gasoline and service station. His wife, Blanche worked as an attendant at the service station. Archie Jr. (age 13) was the oldest of four children in the home in 1950. Archie Sr. lived in Albuquerque by 1959 where he worked as an attendant at Jones Texaco Service Station; he and his wife lived in a house to the rear of the gas station at 5810 Edith Boulevard NE. Archie Jr's mother, Blanche, died in 1997 and his father, Archie Sr., passed away in Albuquerque in 2004; the couple were buried in Vaughn.

Archie Jr. moved his extensive private collection of antique autos, auto memorabilia, and antique toys from Albuquerque to Moriarty around 2003; the process took about a month to complete. The museum was the subject of a 2009 book by Beth Alexander with nearly 150 photos of the museum contents. There are nine garage bays across the front (south side) of the one-story museum building. A carport shed roof shelters an area at the east end of the structure. A large parking lot surrounding the building contains more antique vehicles.

Archie Lewis was 81 years old in 2017 and was living with his wife, Beth. In that same year, a wall constructed of license plates was moved to the museum to keep it from being vandalized. The wall had previously been on display at a gas station at Rt. 66 and Mountain Valley Road as a tourist attraction and photo backdrop. A group called Retro 66, dedicated to preserving Route 66, funded the move. The wall is mobile, and has appeared elsewhere at times, including local parades.

Alexander, Beth. Lewis Antique Auto Museum: The Beauty of Old Cars and Trucks (and Then Some). Blurb, Incorporated, 2009.

Anonymous. Find a Grave memorial for Archie B. Lewis Sr. (1915-2004), Find a Grave. February 17th, 2006. Accessed October 10th, 2023. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/13370939/archie-b-lewis.

Bogren, Ken and Delores. Lewis Antique Auto & Toy Museum, Route 66 Times: Exploring Historic Route 66. Accessed October 9th, 2023. http://route66times.com/l/nm/moriarty-lewis-toy-museum.htm.

Hudspeth Directory Company. Hudspeth Directory Company's 1927 Directory of Albuquerque, N.M. El Paso, TX. Hudspeth Directory Company (Incorporated), 1927.

Hudspeth Directory Company. Hudspeth's Albuquerque (Bernalillo Co., N.M.) City Directory 1959. El Paso, TX. Hudspeth Directory Company, 1960.

KRQE Staff. License plate wall commemorating Route 66 moved to Moriarty, KQRE News, Albuquerque. November 20th, 2017. Accessed October 9th, 2023. https://www.krqe.com/news/license-plate-wall-commemorating-route-66-moved-to-moriarty/.

U.S. Bureau of the Census. Household of Archie B. Lewis in Lockneytown district 77-5, Floyd Co., Tex., US Hwy. # 285, Lewis Garage, dwelling 107. Washington, DC. U.S. Government, 1940.

U.S. Bureau of the Census. Household of Archie B. Lewis in Vaughn district 10-20, Guadalupe Co., N.M., US Hwy. # 285, Lewis Garage, dwelling 150. Washington, DC. U.S. Government, 1950.