In the fall of 1978, members of the Mid-State Tractor Club of
Illinois gathered together for a meeting to form a museum for
antique farm machinery.
The museum was named in honor of a life-time resident of
Christian County, Paul Sckowska. Official title of the museum was
the Paublo Agricultural Museum.
Paublo is the name given to Sckowska by a brother-in-law, when
he lived in Texas during the ages of 12 through 17.
Agricultural is used because of his love for farming the land
and love for the country ways of life in general.
Museum is due to the fact that it is an institution devoted to
the procurement, care and display of objects of lasting interest or
value.
The museum is located 2 miles south of Blue Mound and mile south
of Route 48. A building measuring 60 x 130′ was built and
donated to the association by Sckowska, along with four acres of
land and its contents.
Officers of the association were elected and committees were
formed for a festival, which would follow in the summer of
1979.
A large rain came shortly before the festival which was held
July 28 and 29, sending down the hopes of having a large turnout
for the first festival. Yet, the days that followed were ones of
sunshine and the festival was held right on schedule.
The following events were held during the festival: sawmilling,
shingle milling, threshing grain, fans for testing horsepower,
model steam engines, a horseshoe contest, flea markets and
concessions.
The grounds were opened at 7:00 Saturday morning and 5:00 Sunday
morning. Not long after opening the gate each morning, one could
hear and easily see the sounds and sights of yesteryear’s
agriculture.
Five steam engines were on hand for the festival. Herb Beckmeyer
brought his Baker 2175; Ray Dement had his Case 40 HP; Wilbur Jolly
brought a Minneapolis 20 HP; Joe Rittenhaus had a 30-60 Aultman
Taylor and J. Everett Brown, local member, had his 18 HP
Keck-Gonnerman. Russell Helms was ill and unable to bring his large
steam engine.
Those bringing small steam engines were Lloyd Huntly, with a
Nichols & Shepard and Mr. Fisher with a Case.
A Heider tractor ran the shingle mill, which was operated by Mr.
Bragg of Atwood.
A dedication ceremony was held at 2:00 Sunday afternoon in front
of the museum. Rev. Richard Denmark of Blue Mound opened the
ceremony with a welcome and introduction of Mr. & Mrs. Paul
Sckowska and various other association members.
Following, a presentation of the museum and land was given by
Sckowska. Clayton Allgood, president of PAM, gave the
acceptance.
The founder of the association is a man devoted to preserving
agriculture. Paul Sckowska was born on the farm, August 14, 1905.
He began farming for his uncle in 1922. He often speaks of having
desires of going to college to be a surveyor, yet due to lack of
money, he immediately started farming.
Five years later he was married to Valera Armstrong. After the
Depression, as things began to lighten on the Sckowskas
financially, they purchased a small farm from her father.
They turned it into a dairy farm, and within a few years the
herd had grown from 4 to 45. Sckowska became well known throughout
the state. He would begin the fair circuit each year at Rushville
and end it with the DuQuoin State Fair in September. He credits his
knowledge of cattle from his helper and friend, Clayton
Allgood.
Sckowska farmed actively until 1975. It was at this time he
began to collect antique tractors. At the present time he has a
total of 21 antique tractors and all are runable. The tractor which
he chose to have the honor of being displayed in the front window
is a 1924 4-wheel drive Massey Harris. Sckowska also helped
organize the Mid-State Tractor Club, which centralizes in Blue
Mound.
PAM is now planning its 2nd annual Thresherman’s Festival
for July 25, 26, 27, 1980. An antique tractor pull will be added to
this year’s festival events.
Future plans of the association include the building and
preserving of a small town.
