North Central Illinois Steam Power Show, Box 111, Davis
Junction, Ill. 61020
Reprinted from the Case Mark September 1975, Gabriella S.
Birkholtz, Editor
Steam engine whistles blare through the country air. Steam and
Smoke pour from late 19th and early 20th century machines. Horses
plow the ground. Oats are fed into an 1889 Case Agitator Thresher.
You are carried back into the agricultural history as you visit one
of the numerous old time thresherees held throughout the nation in
late summer.
The North Central Illinois Steam Power Show in Ogle County,
south of Rockford, is just such an event. It’s a lesson in
agricultural and J.I. Case Company history. It’s an opportunity
for old timers, who remember the days of community thresherees to
get the grain harvested, to reminisce and to operate some of the
equipment their fathers and grandfathers used back in the days of
farm homesteading. It’s an opportunity for city folks to get
out in the country and learn something about farming years ago. And
it is an opportunity for machinery buffs to see some of the
old-time equipment in actual use.
The man behind the North Central Illinois Steam Power Show,
which runs for four days each August and attracts an estimated
20,000 visitors, is 52 year-old George W. Hedtke, an electrician by
vocation and a steam engine authority by avocation.
Hedtke has owned the 45-acre show site, Hickory-Oaks, since
1971. The show, which has nearly 20-year history, was held there
for the first time last year. On the land are several old buildings
which Hedtke has moved from other locations for a small frontier
village. The only modern structure is a large 60’x144′
metal barn, in which Hedtke houses his numerous antique machines,
and which is converted to an area for various displays, as well as
a dining room, during the yearly Steam Power Show. Hedtke and his
collie, Casey, will move to Hickory-Oaks as soon as a well is
drilled.
Hedtke is devoted to Case equipment. He owns four Case steam
engines, the largest one the 110-horsepower 22 ton machine built in
1911. His other steam engines were built in 1916 and 1923. He also
owns a 40-horse-power Case road roller, built in 1923. This just
scratches the surface. He also has five Case tractors built between
1915 and 1931, eleven threshing machines of various sizes, some
made of wood, the rest of steel. Those made of wood were built
prior to 1904. He has several small Case equipment, such as water
tank wagons, which carries the water to supply the steam engines,
grain binders, corn binders, silo fillers, hay-balers, hay-loaders,
mowers, and several plows. These are contrasted with the two Case
agricultural tractors, the 1070 Agri-King, and the 2670 Traction
King, which were on display at Hickory-Oaks during the 1975 show.
These new units were not featured attraction and seemed somewhat
out of place.
Hedtke also owns pre-steam farm equipment, like the one bottom
and three bottom plows pulled by horses, and wooden Case Agitator
Thresher, built in 1889 and powered by a sweep horsepower and teams
of twelve horses. While Hedtke definitely favors Case equipment,
‘because it’s darned good machinery’, he also has
several other units – manufactured by Avery, Aultman-Taylor, John
Deere, and several others. But he’s an excellent advertisement
for Case Company and its long history.
The Steam Power Show features a daily parade of equipment,
during which all the units are paraded through the central area of
Hickory-Oaks, Hedtke moderates the parade and friends of his,
primarily older men, operate his machinery. Hedtke carries on a
running commentary about each unit, explaining what the machine
does, when and where it was built, and what its various features
are. During the parade the steam engines chug up the slight
incline, puffing coal-generated smoke, occasionally blasting excess
steam, and always sounding their whistles. Each Case steam engine
pulls a Case thresher. Smaller units bring up the end of the
parade, which lasts nearly an hour.
One of the amazing factors about Hedtke’s equipment is that
all of it works. Admittedly, when he purchased the various units
they were in varying stages of disrepair. However, with much labor,
time and patience, he has restored all of them to operating
condition, and all look like they did after they were manufactured
by Case in the late 1800’s and early 1900’s.
Demonstrations also are the order of the day at the Steam Power
Show. There s oat threshing – by horsepower and by steampower.
There’s plowing – by horsepower and by steam power, plus other
demonstrations. There’s candle making, soap making, rug
weaving, and spinning wool to yarn.
And there’s the old fashioned typical threshermen’s
meals – with one modern note: the meat served on Thursday was
bratwurst, which was not on the food scene 100 years ago.
As a child, Hedtke always was fascinated with the machinery
which worked the farm his parents rented, just a few miles from
Hickory-Oaks. This fascination has became an all-consuming hobby.
Hedtke is quick to comment on the fact that he has lots of help
from his friends. For example, replacement parts are not always
available for machines which Hedtke owns, ‘So friends make
castings for me, and help me with things I can’t do alone,’
Hedtke said.
Each year something different is added to the daily activities
at North Central Illinois Steam Power Show. Here are two steam
engines chained together, double heading pulling a 14 bottom John
Deere plow at Hickory Oaks Farm. Hundreds of spectators enjoyed
this spectacular field demonstration of turning over the ground.
The 20 HP Advance Rumely in the lead is owned and operated by Ron
Pieper and Mike Althoff of Free port, Illinois. The 65 HP Case is
owned by George Hedtke, and is operated by Harry Woodmansee of
Dowling, Michigan, and John Schrock of Rives Junction,
Michigan.
This rusty skeleton of an 80 HP Case steam engine has found a
new home at Hedtke’s Hickory-Oaks Farm. Its delivery was made
only a few days ahead of the 1975 show, and is being unloaded in
this picture from a low-boy with the help of a modern tractor.
Hedtke plans to have this engine restored and in operation by show
time 1976.
Less than 20 people work with Hedtke in preparing for the
setting up the yearly show. More help during the four days the show
is in operation. All pitch in and help. Like opening day this year
1975. A team of horses which was used to pull one of the Case water
tank wagons in the parade, was still hitched to the wagon after the
parade, standing and unattended. One of the steam engines released
built-up steam, the horses got frightened and bolted in a u-turn,
then stopped. They turned over the water wagon and broke the hitch.
Fortunately no one, including the horses, was injured. Five-hundred
gallons of water was spilled, however. It was less than 15 minutes
later that one of the workers involved in the show said he would
make a new hitch, ‘And hell probably have it ready for
tomorrow’, Hedtke said. That’s real help and cooperation.
Apparently Hedtke’s friends are just about devoted to Case and
the show as he is.
Hedtke prides himself on his patriotism, as well as on the work
he has done with the Case machinery he owns. A flagpole topped with
the American flag sits proudly in one of the open areas at
Hickory-Oaks Farm. And this year, as well as past years, the parade
began with a float, sponsored by the Ogle County Taxpayers
Association, on which was mounted a large Church Bell, which was
rung during the parade. The float was backed by American flags.
Hedtke shudders when he talks about old equipment people have
discarded through the years. As far as he is concerned, all should
be restored to its original condition and kept for future
generations to marvel over and learn from, so as not to remove
agricultural history from the American scene in years to come. The
1976 Steam and Horse Power Show will be held at Hickory-Oaks Farm,
August 5, 6, 7 and 8.
