Secretary-Treasurer of the Bureau Valley Antique Club
The fourth annual Bureau Valley Antique Engine and Tractor Show
was held July 18, ,19, 1981 at the Ohio, Illinois Athletic Field.
Weather allowed us to put on another successful show this year with
approximately 150 exhibitors from Illinois and several visitors
from surrounding states.
Going back for a few minutes to the beginning of the Bureau
Valley Antique Club five years ago we find the club started by four
men: Fred Allicks, Jim Krieger, Steve Black, and Roger Baumgartner.
After being asked to exhibit antique tractors and engines at the
Ohio, Illinois Centennial and seeing so much interest taken in
them, the four decided to organize a club. At the first meeting
there were 15 present and we are proud to say that in our fourth
year we now have grown to 129 members and are growing each
year.
Events for both days of the show include: wheat threshing, corn
shelling, a stone burr flour mill grinding wheat flour, a working
model of a saw mill, flea markets, not to mention all the antique
tractors, engines, and cars. A daily parade of tractors is held on
the grounds in the afternoon. There is also a lunch stand run by
the ladies of the club.
Saturday evening there is a square dance and starting Sunday
there’s a pancake and sausage breakfast from 6 to 9 A.M. After
breakfast it is on to the show which includes a parade of the
antique cars and tractors through town in the afternoon. And added
to this year’s show was a garden tractor and snowmobile pull
after the parade.
Highlights of this year’s show were Lad Krieger’s 40-80
Avery brought to the show for the first time; a miniature working
steam engine and threshing machine; three large steam engines; two
steam models; five model tractors; approximately 143 engines; 54
tractors, and 45 cars. Also there were 80 units in this year’s
parade.
There were too many types of engines and tractors to mention
separately, but all were a sight well worth seeing. It is very
gratifying to see people interested in preserving a part of the
past for future generations to see and enjoy.
We would like to express sincere thanks to everyone involved in
making our show a success and invite them and everyone who has
never attended our show to join us July 17, 18, 1982 for our next
show. You will find us at the Ohio, Illinois athletic field.
Put together antique engines, tractors, cars, steam engines,
etc. and happy people reliving part of the past, and your bound to
have a wonderful time that the whole family can enjoy.
