401 Bank Street, Titusville, Pa. 16354
We waited a whole year for the Pioneer Steam and Gas Engine Show
which is a must in our lives. On Wednesday, the 19th, we moved our
camper to our camping lot and set everything up. We took our booth
under the grandstand Thursday morning. We put up the display panels
and put out some engine magazines. Some shelves were put up for an
attractive and interesting display.
Thursday the fellows were moving in machinery all day and it
still looked like a small show, in spite of a quantity of
advertising. The Ladies Auxiliary opened up their food stand so the
set-up people could get something to eat. This proved to be a great
contribution to the show.
Friday we were out early to see how the show looked to start.
Some fifteen or twenty campers had parked near ours and many near
their engines and flea market spaces. Things really looked good
with about eight big steamers, a sawmill, a couple of threshers, a
treadmill, a baler, a sweep power, a ground hog thresher, a baker
fan, a shingle mill, some twenty or thirty small engines and near
twenty gas tractors.
The small passenger train was set up. The model tent was set up
in the midway area and space roped off for the antique cars. At
opening time over thirty flea market spaces were filled. The two
parades, afternoon and evening, were very nice with a great many
entries.
In its new position the model tent was soon filled with fine
models in operation, showing some of the finest workmanship skilled
hands can produce. A quarter scale steamer operating a model baker
fan, also several larger models were displayed outside the model
tent.
The restaurant and several other food stands were open. No one
needed to go hungry. There was music both afternoon and evening.
With wood from the buzz saw we had a campfire in the camping area
and several people gathered around till bed time.
Saturday things were moving long before official opening,
whistles blowing, engines barking and coughing, people buying and
selling. The opening prayer and National anthem whistled by a Lady
to the accompaniment of the steam calliope. This was worth driving
miles to hear. When the noon whistle sounded it seemed almost
everyone was too busy looking around to stop and eat and yet all
the concessions were doing a land office business.
As the time was leading up to the afternoon parade, the music
from the platform and the home show building made you just want to
pause and listen. We really appreciated these fine musicians whose
music was from the era of the horse, the steam, and the gas
engine.
On the field by this time were ten of the big steam engines,
over one hundred and fifteen gas engines, thirty or more gas
tractors, some oil tractors, several teams of horses, and ox and a
dog in a tread mill running a butter churn. Out on the parade track
was a dog in a basket on a high wheel bicycle riding around looking
over the show. A horse in a tread mill and an ox on a power sweep
was seen. Threshing, sawing lumber, baling straw, candle making and
other crafts were being demonstrated. Just too much to see and too
little time to enjoy it. The Saturday evening show in the home show
building was the best ever and more people turned out to see and
listen to it.
Sunday started much like Saturday except the crowd started
gathering earlier and the spaces which had been empty in the flea
market were now filled. The flea market had over fifty spaces sold
and the crowd was large enough to support it. At 11:00 o’clock
everything came to a standstill for the worship service and in the
hush of the Lord’s presence Mr. Stephens brought the gospel to
us. A good number were in the grandstand for this service. After
the noon hour it was time for the interviewed parade which has been
a highlight of the show for a number of years.
We had throughout the show the talented whistling lady. This
lady along with her husband and dog who ride and do tricks on a
high wheel bicycle are a show in themselves. The parade headed by
thirty or forty antique cars followed by horses, ox, gas tractors,
then the mammoth traction engines were truly a spectacular observed
only at the greatest show in Crawford County. The Pioneer Steam and
Gas Engine Show at the Crawford County fair grounds.
The Standords really went all out and put on a musical program.
Mr. and Mrs. William Proper deserve a lot of praise also. The
Society is grateful for this program and after this tremendous
start hope it will grow with each coming show.
What did you think of that flea market? Mr. Lundberg deserves a
lot of credit for turning this activity into a very successful
undertaking.
Mr. Parley Carpenter was at the show worship service and gave a
very inspiring morning prayer.
Under the guidance of Carl Spring the gas engine section
expanded many times this year and we are assured next year will see
an even bigger line up and layout.
The two miniature steam powered railroads gave many youngsters
the ride of a lifetime, even now plans are being laid for expansion
and more track.
We must not forget to thank Francis Proper for providing us with
a trailer for the show headquarters and also the show directory in
the grandstand entrance.
This year we missed Mr. Steam Inspiration himself, Mr. Oliver
Rhea who lay in the hospital ill. But we know his spirit was at the
show as was much of his equipment.
Did you notice the big John Deere harvester in the field? This
we thought was a real attraction giving the comparison of one
machine against several horses, the reaper, the binder, the steam
or gas engine, the water wagon, and the thresher. One sweep of
progress killed the greatness of the harvest and togetherness of
threshing.
Some other spokes we must mention are Don Hager, Clarence
Onspaugh, Dillon Wescoat, Bill Millspaw, Ralph Hunter, and others
who get the machinery moved in and out.
The Antique car people were sure pleased with the way Lew Shadie
handled the antique cars this year having them roped off so they
could be seen but not touched.
There were so many people who did so much to make the show a
success that it would be impossible to name everyone. You
could take the roster and pick out any name and see what a great
contribution they made to the show. However, we think we
should mention the officers and others who worked very hard for the
show, Mr. and Mrs. Wilbert Green, Mrs. Wescoat, Miles Miller, Mr.
Waid, and many others as the list could go on and on. The
Society truly appreciates and thanks everyone for their
participation.
Our President is to be commended on the way he was able to bring
everything into focus so almost every job was done with the
expertise of perfection.
Mr. and Mrs. Gorden Telford of New Zealand were guests of our
show. These folds who have more than passing interest in
antique cars and old equipment timed their trip so they would be
able to take in our show and several others.
