06/01/2026
Antique and Classic cars are big on the plateau. There are numerous car shows and cruises every month. Got a car truck or motorcycle that’s been restored?
Save the date and experience American history through classic cars at the 48th Annual LeMay Car Show on August 29, 2026.
The LeMay Collections are located at Marymount, 325 152nd St E, Tacoma, WA 98445. The show takes place every year on the last Saturday in August.
This place is more than just a museum. It’s a lively piece of American history, cared for by a devoted family and community who keep its story alive. For 48 years, the Annual LeMay Car Show has welcomed visitors to these 80 acres thanks to word of mouth, loyalty, and a shared passion for cars. On August 29, 2026, the gates will open again.
Explore the 80-acre campus and see more than 1,000 classic vehicles, including the LeMay collection and cars from local clubs and private owners. You’ll find cars from every decade of American automotive history, along with many from other countries. The displays, memorabilia, and beautiful grounds make the visit even more special.
Who was Harold LeMay?
Harold Eugene LeMay’s life is a real 'Rags to Riches' story. He began in the garbage business and, by the time he passed away in November 2000, had become a self-made millionaire. His family moved to rural Pierce County in March 1921. Harold attended Rocky Ridge Grade School and graduated from Kapowsin High School in the late 1930s. His classmates once called him 'least likely to succeed,' but he proved them wrong.
In 1944, Harold joined the Navy as a Seabee during World War II. Before he left, he traded one of his buses for the Spanaway Garbage Collection Company. This company became the foundation of Harold LeMay Enterprises, which later added towing and auction services. It grew into the largest refuse company in Washington and the tenth largest in the country. The business expanded into five counties: Grays Harbor, Lewis, Mason, Pierce, and Thurston. Harold also started other ventures like Lucky Towing, LeMay Restoration, and Parkland Auto Wrecking. He didn’t just build one business; he created a network of companies, all based in the south Puget Sound area where he grew up.
Harold considered his red 1934 Packard sedan, which he bought in 1952, his first real collectible car. His collection really took off in the mid-1960s when he bought a Ford Model T. After that, he kept adding more vehicles. Harold had a simple rule: he always bought cars and never sold them. People say he never sold a single car in his life. Trucks, motorcycles, military vehicles, unique prototypes, and everyday Model A Fords filled buildings around Parkland and Spanaway, sometimes even overflowing onto the family homestead.
A fellow enthusiast with the same obsession, but on a much smaller scale, is my brother Steve. My brother is, at his core, a Ford man, having collected and restored historic Fords over his lifetime. Judy, his wife for more than sixty years, knew from the beginning what the marriage included. When she married my brother, she married his Model A Ford, too. It was a package deal. Steve and Judy encountered Harold at car events around the country, including the legendary Hershey Swap Meet in Pennsylvania, where they'd spot Harold's old motor home reliably parked among the faithful. "He was a very interesting man, always dressed like a reprobate, old clothes and a hat. If you were to look around and pick out the multimillionaire, it wouldn't be Harold. When you'd ask him how things were, his answer was always 'Picking up.' He was one of the guys."
The LeMay car collection eventually outgrew the family’s private land. In 1992, Harold bought the former Marymount Military Academy, an 80-acre campus built in 1921 by the Sisters of St. Dominic and used as a boys’ military school until 1976. This historic site became the new home for the LeMay Family Collection. Building after building filled up with cars—rare Duesenbergs, a Tucker 48, Yugos, military trucks, and antique Chevrolets. Cars and memorabilia filled every corner of the property.
You can see cars from every decade of American automotive history, as well as many from other countries. The displays, memorabilia, and the grounds all add to the experience. Be sure to check out Nancy’s amazing doll collection, too.
Best of all, everyone gets free admission to the main showgrounds.
Posted By: Mark A Hamilton, a long-time resident and a member of the Greater Bonney Lake Historical Society since 2006. [email protected]
