50th Reunion of the PIONEER ENGINEER’S CLUB of INDIANA

included six A. Gaar or Gaar-Scott portables built in 1875 or
before. We had steam traction engines built by Keck-Gonnerman,
Kitten, Gaar-Scott, Advance-Rumely, Reeves, M. Rumely, and
Robinson, as well as engines from Case to Westinghouse.

On the tractor side, we had nearly 400 tractors on display,
including a rare Indiana tractor and many Rumely OilPulls. We also
had a large number of gas engines of brands like Hercules, Jaeger,
Arco, and Economy, in addition to a huge and very rare Muncie oil
engine. The tractor guys and gals put on an antique tractor pull
and played tractor games while the gas engine owners ground grain,
pumped water, and cut wood.

Many thanks should go to the Greenville Gang for bringing an
electric power eater, six steam engines, and a mighty fine looking
John Deere ‘D.’ As part of the show we had panoramic
pictures of the steam engines and the tractor area taken. It took
some work to get all the steam engines lined up for the shot. John
Holp, one of the Greenville Gang, used a 16 HP heavy geared Advance
engine to move some of the other engines into place. ‘The
little engine with THE BIG PULL,’ as he said. The Pioneer
Engineer’s Club also put together a 50th Anniversary Souvenir
Book to go with the show. Everyone seemed very impressed by the
50th Reunion book and the panoramic pictures.

The 50th Reunion also included a blacksmith, rope and wire fence
making, weaving, broom making, a large flea market containing many
antique dealers, and several food vendors.

We had activities in our entertainment tent, a search for coins
in the straw, a tug of war with a steam engine, an old-time
fiddler’s contest, and a kiddie tractor pull. And Farmer John
the Clown roamed over the grounds, bringing smiles with him. All in
all, the 50th reunion went quite well and everyone who visited the
show saw something fun and interesting.

The 51st Reunion of the Pioneer Engineer’s Club will take
place on August 6, 7, and 8, 1999. We will host the annual meeting
and show of the J.I. Case Collectors organization. We will have a
large display of Case tractors and equipment, including some of the
old cross motor tractors, and we plan on having a lineup containing
one of each size Case steam engine still remaining.

One visitor to our 50th show came all the way from Arizona and
liked it so well, he plans on coming back for the 51st. So visit
Rushville, Indiana, on August 6, 7, and 8, 1999, yourself, for the
51st Reunion of the Pioneer Engineer’s Club.