Route 2, Box 19-A Perryton, TX 79070
The older generation reminisced about days gone by, the younger
generation got a glimpse backward into agricultural history, and
everybody seemed to have a good time at the eighth annual Golden
Srpead Antique Machinery Association Show. The Show was held
September 21-22, 1985 in the Texas Panhandle near Perryton on the
Donald Sell farm with plenty of open space for the antique
exhibits, parade, flea market, thrashing, steam engines, campers,
parking and lots of food. In fact there was almost too much space
when a team of mules happened to break loose and took off for the
‘back forty’. ‘Just like in the old times, folks,’
the announcer reported.
The large crowd had plenty to look at for a memory-making
weekend.
The two-day event held the third weekend in September each year
features a parade each day. As the announcer tells about the
equipment, it is driven past the grandstands. A real crowd pleaser
is the mule-drawn equipment. . .such things as header and barge,
Dee ring Ideal Reaper, two-bottom plow, and fertilizer spreader.
The mule powered Ransomes & Sims Horse Power Thrashing Machine
and the antique feed grinder make a vivid point in the progress of
agricultural equipment.
The parade begins each day with a demonstration of the hand
sickle and cradle sy the as examples of the way grain was harvested
less than 200 years ago… and basically, the same way grain was
harvested 2,000 years ago. The parade progresses to the mule-drawn
equipment, on to the tractor-pulled combines, and concludes with
the actual thrashing of wheat with a steam engine powered thrashing
machine. It demonstrates an incredible story of progress in
harvesting grain.
The show and parade also features a large number of antique
tractors, including a small 1912 ‘Little Bull’ and a twelve
ton 1917 Twin City recently purchased by Dan and Donald Sell. The
Twin City made its first appearance in the Golden Spread Antique
Machinery Show this year after being featured for the past
twenty-eight years at the Midwest Thresher’s Reunion in Mt.
Pleasant, Iowa. A 1918 Flour City, 20-35 shown is one of only three
known to exist. A large variety of antique tractors was exhibited.
The varied sizes, years, wheel lugs, and engine sounds give an
interesting facet to the parade.
Among the antique cars and trucks paraded was a 1938 Ford Texas
Highway Patrol car complete with its driver in 1939 trooper attire.
The car was a part of the Texas Department of Public Safety 50th
Anniversary celebration in Austin last summer. It was used as the
personal limousine for Governor Mark White and Colonel Adams, head
of the Texas Highway Department. Before 1938 the Texas Highway
Patrol used motorcycles only.
A good variety of antique cars was exhibited including a 1916
Case seven passenger touring car in original condition, a 1923
Columbia sedan, and a 1911 Maxwell Speedster.
Mule powered header and barge passes by in parade at the Golden
Spread Antique Machinery Association annual show. The header, in
the foreground, cut the grain, and the grain was conveyed to the
barge which was driven along beside it. The grain was dumped in
piles and later thrashed by a thrashing crew. It was primarily
1915-1920’s.
A working cow dog demonstration during the parade by Charles
Custer and his border collies shows his dogs penning and loading a
group of steers on the parade grounds.
The parade features a steam engine incline demonstration by
engineer J. D. Wilbanks of Spearman, as well as the steam engine
whistle code.
Many gasoline engines were on display.
A crowd favorite was the blacksmith shop of Ken and Kevin Henry
of Garden City, Kansas. They demonstrated making square nails, hemp
rope, and other things.
A Sunday morning church service was well attended.
Flea market exhibitors showed a wide variety of items.
The large crowd attending came from a wide area. One visitor
from Arizona filmed the entire two hour parade on his video camera.
A TV station from Houston was present.
The Golden Spread Antique Machinery Association members give
many hours of labor in putting on the annual Show. They feel it is
a worthwhile project to preserve and show a bit of our heritage to
the modern world. It’s a big job, but perhaps two signs seen at
the Show express a lot. One sign in front of the grandstands
proclaims ‘Caution Adults at Play’. The other sign,
featured on a gasoline engine exhibit, quipped, ‘Grandpa’s
Toys.. .The only difference between men and boys… is the price of
their toys.’
