328 W. Chestnut, Freeport, Illinois 61032
On July 26, 27, and 28, 1974 the Stephenson County Antique
Engine Club held its fifth annual show at the fairgrounds in
Freeport, Ill. It is hard to believe that in April of 1970, we were
just a small group of about thirty people with just a dream of
putting on a threshing show in the Preeport area. Now, we have a
and permanent displays, a sawmill set up permanently under roof,
and have just purchased a ten ton machinery trailer for hauling
equipment to the show. Plus, we stage one of the largest shows in
the Midwest. Most people who come to our show for the first time
say, ‘I didn’t realize you had this big of a show.’
This year the show was the biggest ever with over 8000 people
attending. We had 10 large steam engines, over 60 tractors, 150 gas
engines, 20 antique cars, 10 teams of draft horses, plus the big
exhibit hall full of smaller items. The big 60 HP Fairbanks-Morse
diesel which was just finished for last year’s show looked like
new this year with a fresh coat of black paint, surrounded by a new
railing which made it look like it was back in the water works at
Geneseo, Ill. We also started a blacksmith shop which will be
completed in years to come.
The steamers this year were a 25 HP Russell, 24 HP Minneapolis,
20 HP Reeves, 50 HP Case, 40 HP Case, Case road roller, 18 HP
Advance Rumely, 19 HP Keck Gonnerman, 19 HP Port Huron, and 16 HP
Port Huron. All were in operation running separators, sawmill,
baker fan, shredders, and a couple even got in on Friday’s
antique tractor pull.
The list of tractors reads like an old Chilton Tractor
Index40-80 Avery, 30-60 Aultman Taylor, 30-60 E OilPull, 15-30 one
cylinder Oil. Pull, 20-40 Case, 12-25 Case, 20-42 Nichols Shepard,
18-36 Pioneer, Caterpillar 10, 15, and 30, Allis Chalmers E and WC,
McCormick 10-20, 15-30, WK 40, F-20, F-12, John Deere D, A, AR, BR,
G, GP, Wide Tread GP, and Waterloo Boy, Fordson, Massey Harris
Challenger, Hart Parr, 30, 28-50, and 28-44, Case CC, L, and RC.
Many of these tractors competed in Friday’s tractor pull and
all went through the parade. They also were used on the fan,
threshing, baling straw, shredding, crushing rock and shelling
corn. This is one of the finest displays of tractors you will see
at any show. A new trend was started in ‘gasoline alley’,
instead of the gas engines just sitting there, quite a few of the
owners are finding equipment to belt them to such as washing
machines, pump jacks, churns, cream separators and generators.
The fine teams of horses at our show are kept busy. Besides
pulling bundle and grain wagons, all of our horse equipment such as
mower, rake, cultivator, sulky plow, and binders are pulled through
the parade. In fact, this year we even raked and loaded hay with an
old hay loader right in front of the grandstand during the parade.
That is something most of the younger generation have never seen.
This year Ropp’s Draft Horses were performing maneuvers in
front of the grandstand with a 10 horse hitch.
Our show has just as much to offer the ladies as the men. The
big 200′ exhibition hall is full of displays that the ladies
will like. Our old country kitchen was back this year along with an
old living room and washhouse. There was a beautiful display of
coffee grinders of every type. Also, antique dolls, greeting cards,
movie posters, sale bills, license plates, keys, eye glasses, and
antique home appliances. The ladies of our club put a tremendous
amount of work all year into making handicrafts to sell in their
novelty booth. They also sell the buckwheat, whole wheat, rye flour
and cornmeal that is freshly ground at the show with the 100 yr.
old stone mill.
We have already started working on next year’s show. We are
going to try some new ideas and improve on the old ones. Come to
our show July 25, 26, 27, 1975. I am sure you won’t be
disappointed.
