Highland Historical Society’s HOMESTEAD POWER SHOW

Homestead is a working steam show as this photograph
illustrates. Joe Graziana’s Belleville threshing machine
produced this straw pile during the show.

A large tent will be full of gas engines and displays, along
with many old tractors, which also put on a plowing demonstration.
A new pavilion has been erected on the grounds to house the food
area and stage area for the entertainment. A craft and flea market
are features, along with a pedal tractor pulling contest.

Lewis Woods of Mustang, OK, operates Norbert Hohrein’s 1912
16 HP Advance on the sawmill at Homestead Power Show. This was the
first time Lewis had been to the show and he enjoyed every minute
of it.

Homestead Power Show keeps on getting a little bigger and a
little better with each passing year. This year’s show has a
new engine attending, which will be the first time it has been
shown in many years. Keck-Gonner-man 20 HP side mount single
cylinder serial #1627 was owned by Tom Castleton of southern
Illinois, and for many years was a regular at the American
Thresherman’s show. When the owner passed away, the engine was
put up for sale and sold to a museum in Nebraska. A few years ago,
Alan Derting bought the engine out of the museum and used the
engine on his farm at Hopkinsville, Kentucky. The engine was
advertised for sale in this year’s March/April issue of IMA.
Joe Kerher of New Memphis, Illinois, with the assistance of Joe
Graziana, then purchased the engine.

The butt strap boiler was found to be in good condition, and Mr.
Kerher has begun a major restoration of the engine. The owner plans
for Keck #1627 to be a regular participant at the Homestead Power
Show.

Bill McCristy of Blue Mound, IL, operates his 22 HP
Keck-Gonnerman single cylinder serial #1695 on the belt at
Homestead Power Show. Who would guess Bill is a bank president?

There is always action at Homestead’s sawmill. John Ford of
Tennessee is head sawyer, Morris Metzger and Dan Gaston of Indiana
are working the skid end.

This will only be the 12th show at Highland under the auspices
of the Highland Historical Society, but the show is steadily
growing, The show has been fortunate that several years ago some
people in the area, such as Norbert Hohrein, Roland Hart, Joe
Siegal, and Joe Graziana, put their money where their heart was,
pulled out their pocketbooks to keep steam engines in the area. The
steam hobby is constantly changing as older engine owners pass away
or an owner loses interest in the hobby. Many times an engine which
has been exhibited for many years at a club’s show will turn up
for sale, and unless someone locally has the foresight to purchase
the engine, it will leave the area, never to be seen again.

Another reason for the success of the Homestead Power Show is
the support provided by Joe Graziana and others in the club.
Prospective steam engine buyers are encouraged and helped in making
their first purchase. Once the engine is bought, Joe lends his
advice and technical support to help them get their engine in a
good, safe, and original operating order.

The Homestead Power Show is held at the Latzer Homestead
(founder of Petmilk Company), two and a half miles south of
Highland, Illinois on September 10, 11, and 12 of 1999.

Come and spend a day with us– guest engineers from several
states will be participating in the show.

A William Foster and Co. LTD of Lincoln, England, road
locomotovie model built by Dan Muldering of Arnold, MO, made its
first show appearance at Homestead Power Show.

Steam plowing, a crowd pleaser, is done throughout the Homestead
Power Show. Bill Jansen and son of Dieterich, IL, are plowing with
their 24 HP Minneapolis, Jim Russell of Oblong, IL, is riding the
footboard and Bronson Hoerchler of Mascoutah, IL, is on the plow
operating the depth levers.