HISTORY OF THE
GREAT PLAINS PACKARD REGION
by Allen Rich and Jim Mershon

Our club had its origins in the late 1960’s. Bob Rich bought a 1941 Packard 120 in Colorado and drove it home to Wichita.  The same year Bob became a member of the Packard Automobile Club (PCA) and made the acquaintance of Kenny Price, a Packard aficionado and collector extraordinaire. Bob engaged in some research by going to the Sedgwick County Courthouse and looked at every page of the current tag registrations.  He then contacted all of the Packard owners and in this way formed the nucleus for the Great Plains Packard (GPP) Regional Chapter of the PCA.  The early mainstays were Bob Rich, Kenny Price, Bob Lewis, and Judge William Kandt. The genesis of the GPP region was in the  offices of Judge William Kandt at the Sedgwick County Courthouse.

One of our first meets was in the courthouse parking lot. Bob Rich and his wife, Helen, had magnetic personalities and made friends instantly.   Bob was a diplomat from the “old school” in that he could persuade you to do something you had no intentions of doing (a wag said that a diplomat was someone who could tell you to go to he-- so nicely that you looked forward to the trip!). Bob’s “business card” read: 

“COLLECTOR OF WICHITA HISTORY MEMORABILIA
MISSISSIPPI RIVERBOAT GAMBLER
EXPERIENCED SAMPLER OF FINE LIQUORS
PRAYER MEETINGS ON SHORT NOTICE”

With this vibrant duo, we soon had members from all over Kansas, northern Oklahoma, Missouri, and Nebraska. In 1971, the membership had reached 80 members.  In 1972, the GPP hosted a very successful PAC national meet and the GPP has been well represented at subsequent national meets. Current membership runs at 35 plus.  In recent years, combined meets with area Studebaker, Hudson Clubs, and the regional HCCA have been very successful.