Most younger Apple fans want to know what Cupertino is producing next, but 15-year-old Alex Jason cares more about the brand’s roots rather than what app he’s going to download on his wrist. Jason has a deep appreciation for the classics from the early days of Jobs and Woz. This kid has acquired an impressive collection of vintage Apple products, and we’re not talking about a bunch of iPod shuffles collecting dust in a junk drawer.
According to The Cult of Mac, Jason’s retro Mac obsession started when he was only 10-years-old and traded a snowblower and a minibike on Craigslist for an iMac G5. Originally, the computer was supposed to be used like any other kid’s gadget, however Jason began to tinker with the G5 and a hobby was born. Jason told The Cult of Mac:
“I just wanted a nice computer,” the high school freshman said. “But I realized these computers are being thrown away. That’s kind of how it snowballed. I wanted to create a collection, share it online and create a museum.”
The 15-year-old Maine native’s dream is almost a reality. Currently, Alex’s 250+ collection of historical Apple products dubbed the Apple Orchard are showcased in the basement of his parent’s home (with the exception of an extremely rare Apple 1 which is housed in a secure location), but an actual museum is in the works to publicly showcase his collection that he purchased from his job mowing lawns. Alex’s father, Bill Jason is helping his son set up a museum called The Maine Technology Museum. The future museum will be located in Fairfield, ME at the Good Will-Hinckley Carnegie Library and will not only house his son’s collection, but will include other interactive exhibits.
(Via Cult of Mac)