At the close of the 1967 North Central Illinois Steam Power
Show, Kings, III. This is Hedtke’s largest threshing outfit, a
110 h.p. Case steam engine and a 42 x 70 Avery Yellow Fellow
thresher, finishing up the final load. At times on Sunday 3 steam
outfits were seen threshing at the same time, two of which can be
seen with the straw piles on this picture. Next year a 44 x 66 Case
making the largest Case Threshing outfit in existance.
Horse power threshing and crowd that was seen daily at the North
Central Illinois Steam Power Show, Kings, Illinois last August
10-11-12-13. Thousands of spectators came to see this great and
unusual feature. Guests registered from 26 states, including
Alaska, and visitors from Japan. Herman Hintzsche, DeKalb, III.,
can be seen on the platform of the horse power unit (with derby
hat), supervising its operation. Herman did much to restore this
horse power, along with George W. Hedtke, Davis Junction, III.,
owner of the unit. John Southard, Allegan, Michigan can be seen
approaching the horse powered thresher (with derby hat) which he
hand fed during the 4 day event.
Six teams of horses and mules are hitched to an unusual horse
power unit for threshing grain. This was done prior to the opening
date of the North Central Illinois Steam Power Show, Kings, III.,
to accustom the teams to walk in unison in a circular motion. Teams
and drivers are from Ogle and Winnebago County. George W. Hedtke of
Davis Junction, III., owns the horse power unit.
Pictured here is a 32′ Case Agitator Thresher, built in
1889, nicely restored and in excellant condition. It is a horse
powered unit, has a slat straw stacker, and bagger attachment. Note
the tumbling rods. This horse powered thresher did a fine job of
threshing oats at the North Central Illinois Steam Power Show,
Kings, Ill., last August. It will be used annually. Owner: George
W. Hedtke, Davis Junction, III. 61020.
Pictured here is an original and complete horse power threshing
unit, a six team hitch, beautifully restored and in A-1 condition.
It is an 1889 Case ‘Wood-bury Dingee’, and is believed to
be the only one of its kind in working condition. This will be seen
in operation annually at the North Central Illinois Steam Power
Show, Kings, Illinois Owner: George W. Hedtke, Davis Junction,
Illinois 61020.
Forty acres of bound oats neatly shocked in straight rows by old
time farmers. This is at the ‘King Farm’, Kings, III., site
of the 1967 North Central Illinois Steam Power Show. This show will
repeat itself annually at the King farm. The 1967 crop yielded 92
bushels to the acre. Ten acres were threshed daily by the newly
formed show, promoted by George W. Hedtke of Davis Junction, III.
61020.