369 South Harris Street, Madisonville, Kentucky 42431
Friday, Saturday and Sunday, July 14, 15, and 16 were big days
for the 503 residents of Adams, Tennessee. Over 18,000 people
jammed the grounds of the old Bell School for the annual
Tennessee/Kentucky Threshermen Association Threshing Show. Once a
year this sleepy little town, known far and wide as the Home of the
come with their campers on pickup trucks or towing travel trailers
and stay for the entire time. Others come and stay in the motels in
surrounding towns while still others come early and spend one long
day enjoying the festivities.
On Saturday there was a parade consisting of steam engines, old
tractors, a calliope played by a costumed musician, a surry with
the fringe on top, antique farm machines, horse and mule-drawn
wagons with pioneer clad families sitting in straight back chairs.
Many of the men had beards and the women and children wore gingham
and old fashioned ‘poke’ bonnets.
Several fine mules and one baby mule were in the parade which
made its way in fits and starts but nobody minded a bit. Food was
available from a screened enclosure. The menu included white beans
and corn bread in addition to pit barbecue, hamburgers, hot dogs,
and etc. The crowd included people of all ages from senior citizens
to babies in strollers and buggies. There was entertainment
including old time fiddling and a puppet show. An antique car
display attracted attention, too. In one section of the grounds
there was a large number of gas engines ranging from one you could
hold in your hands to one which pulled a large grist mill making
corn meal. The rooms of the big two-story brick school building, no
longer in use as a school, were filled with antique furniture of
all kinds for sale.
A massive Empire canopy bed had a price tag of $5,000 on it. All
over the grounds were craft booths of every description: wood
carvings, oil paintings, pen and ink sketches, knitted and crochet
items, ceramics, wood crafts, decoupage and dozens of different
items for sale. The Tennessee Dairy Goats Association had a herd of
goats in an enclosure and when it came time to milk the goats, it
was announced over the public address system that everyone was
invited to watch. The younger children gathered around with eyes
wide open. One lad of about seven or eight was heard to say to
another, ‘I ain’t believing this.’ Good TV coverage was
made by several channels from Nashville. At one booth a lady was
calmly quilting in the midst of all this hullabaloo. One
enterprising youngster of about ten had the family’s power
mower pulling a small wagon riding the small children for 25c. He
had a carpenter’s apron tied around his middle filled with
quarters and bills. Everyone agreed that he’d probably have his
first million by the time he was 35.
On Friday night there was gospel singing, a square dance on
Saturday night and on Sunday there was a joint church service under
the big tent. A very impressive memorial service for our deceased
members was given by Director William Turner who is also our
historian. On Sunday evening after all the activities had ceased
there was more gospel singing.
Eleven large steam engines performed at this year’s show.
They included the following brands: Russell, Gaar-Scott, Frick,
Nichols & Shepard, Case, and Keck-Gonnerman, Allis Chalmers,
McCormick-Deering and John Deere. Edgar Hill, another director, was
engineer on the Keck-Gonnerman engine which operated the saw mill.
He was especially good at riding around in the back of a pickup
truck without use of hand or foot controls.
We think we have one of the youngest steam engineers in the
country. Pictured is Rob Turner of Rural Route 4, Hopkinsville,
Kentucky, handling a steam engine which he does quite well.
This was the biggest and best show we’ve ever had. Our next
show will be July 19, 20, and 21, 1979. YOU ALL COME!
