35 12th Street, N.W., Rochester, Minnesota 55901
Curt Leighty and Jim Roper on the Garr Scott at the Olmsted
County Historical Society Mechanical History and Threshing
Show.
Recently, the Olmsted County Historical Society held its 5th
annual Mechanical History and Threshing Show (August 11 and 12,
1979) at Rochester, Minnesota.
It was a very good show with a lot of small gas engines and
things that go with small gas engines. There were quite a few old
farm tractors and machinery, most of which were brought in by other
people. However, the Historical Society owns most of the
machinery.
There were five different threshing machines, three of which
were being used. Two of the threshers were run by steam engines and
one by gas tractors. There was also a saw mill set up and
running.
The highlight of the two-day show for me was the steam engines.
The smaller of the two steamers was a 20 HP Russell owned by a
local man. The big engine was a 25 HP Canadian built Garr Scott.
This engine is now owned by Mr. Curtis Leighty of River Falls,
Wisconsin. Mr. Leighty bought the Garr Scott about 18 months ago
from the man I believe bought it new and used it in Canada until
Mr. Leighty brought it to Wisconsin. This Garr Scott is a very fine
engine. It is a twin cylinder and in fine condition.
What made this last weekend so enjoyable for me was I was able
to work with this engine. I have been around steam engines for the
past 20 years but this weekend had a few firsts for me. (I’m in
my early forties). It was the first time I had a chance to help
fire up and bring up a head of steam. (We fired with coal.) First
time I ever drove a steamer and belted it up to a thresher.
Belting up was something I hadn’t done for many years and I
did it this time on the first try. On Saturday, I helped keep steam
up and oiled. On Sunday we had to reset and again I belted up and
did it on the first try. I was able to run the engine from putting
water in the boiler, keeping up steam, oiling, starting up and
stopping the thresher. I learned a lot about the operation and
do’s and don’ts on running steam engines, which I would
like to thank Mr. Curtis Leighty for.
We have a very active county Historical Society and a very fine
museum and a great man running it. I would like to invite all who
come to our city of Rochester to visit our Olmsted County
Historical Society Museum.
As I said at the start, it was a very good show and there were
things for almost everyone to see. There was a flea market with
lots of fine things for sale.
We had good weather for the show. Sunday was cool and cloudy and
looked like rain, but it held off until we got the oats
finished.
This looks like the only steam and gas show I’ll get to and
work at, but do hope that all the other shows have the same great
turn out that we did here.
