IRON MAN OF THE MONTH

By Joe Fahnestock
Published on May 1, 1974
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Iron-Man, Joe Harlan, operates some engines for Francis Bell at the Platte City, Missouri show. Wherever steam doth blow there's Harlan Joe''. Picture from Joe Harlan. Courtesy of Joe Fahnestock, Union City, Indiana 47390
Iron-Man, Joe Harlan, operates some engines for Francis Bell at the Platte City, Missouri show. Wherever steam doth blow there's Harlan Joe''. Picture from Joe Harlan. Courtesy of Joe Fahnestock, Union City, Indiana 47390
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A corner in Joe Harlan's well-ordered farm workshop. I see plenty of tools I'd be ''borrowing''. But, like most experienced shop men, he's got ''special loaners'' no doubt, like loose-jawed left-handed monkey wrenches, hammers without handles and reverse
A corner in Joe Harlan's well-ordered farm workshop. I see plenty of tools I'd be ''borrowing''. But, like most experienced shop men, he's got ''special loaners'' no doubt, like loose-jawed left-handed monkey wrenches, hammers without handles and reverse
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Iron-Man, Joe Harlan of Independence, Missouri shows off his ''Little Mo'' at the Stover, Missouri Fair. Note the saw mounted on the front and belted to the flywheel of the 4 x 5 Case engine. Picture from Joe Harlan, Independence, Missouri. Courtesy of Jo
Iron-Man, Joe Harlan of Independence, Missouri shows off his ''Little Mo'' at the Stover, Missouri Fair. Note the saw mounted on the front and belted to the flywheel of the 4 x 5 Case engine. Picture from Joe Harlan, Independence, Missouri. Courtesy of Jo
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This photo shows Joe Harlan making an adjustment on ''Little Mo'' while a member of the younger generation looks on. This is at the Boonville, Missouri steam show. The way the camera's hanging from the kid's hand - it looks like he's already shot up his w
This photo shows Joe Harlan making an adjustment on ''Little Mo'' while a member of the younger generation looks on. This is at the Boonville, Missouri steam show. The way the camera's hanging from the kid's hand - it looks like he's already shot up his w
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Before he even has made the canopy, Iron-Man, Joe Harlan, sets out to do some chores with ''Little Mo'' on his Versailles, Missouri farm. Pictures from Joe Harlan. Courtesy of Joe Fahnestock, Union City, Indiana 47390 for above pictures.
Before he even has made the canopy, Iron-Man, Joe Harlan, sets out to do some chores with ''Little Mo'' on his Versailles, Missouri farm. Pictures from Joe Harlan. Courtesy of Joe Fahnestock, Union City, Indiana 47390 for above pictures.
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Iron Man, Joe Harlan seems to be pulling a cement mixer with his ''Little Mo''. Could he be putting in a new walk to that privy?
Iron Man, Joe Harlan seems to be pulling a cement mixer with his ''Little Mo''. Could he be putting in a new walk to that privy?
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Joe Harlan ''got religion'' again on steam, when he began running Del Seuser's Case at the McLouth, Kansas Fair. We'll grant he looks ''right at home'' on that vibrating deck. ''Mo'' steam, Joe''. Picture from Joe Harlan. Courtesy of Joe Fahnestock, Union
Joe Harlan ''got religion'' again on steam, when he began running Del Seuser's Case at the McLouth, Kansas Fair. We'll grant he looks ''right at home'' on that vibrating deck. ''Mo'' steam, Joe''. Picture from Joe Harlan. Courtesy of Joe Fahnestock, Union

Union City, Indiana

Coming into this world around the turn of the century might well
have portended a very bleak life, indeed, for the average Missouri
farm lad even at the very most. News of what happened in the big,
wide world beyond the line fence barely trickled through. And even
if it did, it was at best a week or two late. But nobody cared, for

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