Hackett Auto Museum video nominated for prestigious award

JACKSON, Mich. – A video featuring the Hackett Auto Museum has recently been nominated for an Automotive Heritage Journalism Award. Produced by Lansing company Good Fruit Video and videographer Kraig Westfall, the three-minute video was created to tell the story of the Hackett building and raise funds to help save the historic site.

“Preserving the history of the Hackett building is extremely important to me,” said Ted O’Dell, Executive Director of the Hackett Auto Museum. “This place matters to the Jackson community, and I’m excited to begin the restoration process.”

Four different automobile manufacturers have called the Hackett building home since its construction in the early 1900s, including the Hackett Motorcar Company and the Briscoe Motor Corporation. Construction will soon begin to transform the facility into the Hackett Auto Museum. Exhibits throughout the museum will highlight local automobilia and cars from the 20th century.

O’Dell believes the Hackett’s unique story will make the video stand out to Automotive Heritage Journalism Award organizers. The awards are meant to honor creators who produce stories focused on automotive history, culture and aesthetics.

“The video highlights the Hackett building as the beautiful, historic space that it is,” O’Dell said. “Saving and sharing that local automotive heritage is a top priority.”

The Automotive Heritage Journalism Awards will be presented on July 29 at the 40th Annual Concours d’Elegance of America in Plymouth, Michigan.

The video, which was funded by contributions from the MotorCities National Heritage Area, the Michigan Historic Preservation Network and the Horace and Mabel Hackett Foundation, may be viewed below.