This years exhibition of the ‘Old Time Thresher and Saw Mill
Operators Show’ exceeded all of the former years for the number
of people attending and for variety of equipment. Exhibitors and
equipment came from a four state area. The states of Michigan,
Ohio, Kentucky and Indiana being represented.
Each days program began at 10:00 in the morning with the raising
of the flag and the playing of the National Anthem followed by a
short prayer given by Robert Price of Logansport, Indiana, the Old
Time Thresher Chaplain. In respect to the flag of our nation, the
raising and lowering ceremonies were performed each day by the
Wallen troop of the Boy Scouts of America. As is the custom of
‘The Old Time Thresher Show’, a scheduled program of events
took place each day of the show.
This year, two new improvements were added for the betterment of
the show. The first one being a new, four inch, driven well which
to help relieve the constantly increasing demands for water. The
original well had enough to do in just taking care of the drinking
water and for sanitary needs. With the addition of the second well,
plenty of water was on hand at all times to supply the engines and
for wetting down the grounds. The second, and most noticed by the
visitor, was the new Threshermens pavilion dedicated to the bygone
days as a lot of us remember them. A plaque was made up and placed
on the building which reads as follows:
THE THRESHERMANS PAVILION
THIS BUILDING ERECTED BY THE OLD TIME THRESHERS AND SAW MILL
OPERATORS, INC. AND DEDICATED BY THE MEMBERS AND OFFICERS OF THE
ASSOCIATION MAY 26, 1963.
IT IS THE ASSOCIATIONS FERVENT RESIRE TO PROMOTE MORE GENERAL
INTEREST IN -AND TO REVIVE THE MANY PLEASANT MEMORIES OF-THE DAYS
WHEN THE STEAM ENGINE WORKED ON THE AMERICAN FARMS. TO THIS
PROPOSITION WE PLEDGE TIME AND EFFORT IN ORDER TO PRESERVE THE
METHODS AND MACHINES BY WHICH OUR NATION GREW TO ITS EARLY
STRENGTH.
The pavilion was put to a very good use as a resting and
visiting place for the visitor and as the headquarters for the
secretary and treasurer of ‘The Old Time Thresher Show’.
Each year, as the visitor well knows, the Old Time Thresher Show
respects the day of the Lord by holding church services on the
grounds on Sunday morning. A sound system was installed in the new
building so that everyone could hear the message of the minister.
Special thanks are due to Mrs. Jay Gould for the wonderful
accompanying music during the services and for the very pleasing
music during the noon hour with the Lowery organ.
Something new to the ‘Old Time Thresher Show’ was the
antique display tent. Interested persons from from miles around
were invited by radio announcements and the shows own advertising
to bring in any antique items that they might have and put them on
display in the big tent. The response was really surprising. One
gentlemen brought in several items of old and rare farm machinery
while others came with old dishes and glassware and other things of
an antique nature. The Brindle Brothers of Laotto, Indiana had
their old Case engine No. 25 on display. An old, steam powered
ditching machine was at the show thru the courtesy of the Buckeye
division of the Gar-Wood industries of Findlay, Ohio. Another
important contributor was the Allen County Historical Society. They
displayed a showcase of rare old items pertaining to the early
history of Allen County, Indiana. The grass under the tent was worn
down to the dirt by the countless hundreds of people that wondered
through the tent. One thing is certain, next years antique display
will be bigger and better than ever
What did the ‘Old Time Thresher Show’ do to entertain
the visitor? He was shown threshing with steam power on the large
grain separators, plowing with steam and old time tractors
furnishing the power, making lumber from logs with the permanent
sawmill, four Baker fans in operation at one time, a shingle mill
demonstrating the way shingles were made before the coming of
modern machinery, a verneer lathe which showed how a log was made
in to a thin sheet of wood and a model seperator and engine. One
cannot forget to mention the hill climbing and engine balancing
acts so ably put on by Harry Wood-mansee, Melvin Lugten and Jack
Egbert, each a past master in performing with an engine. A novelty
to the visitor was the horse-power brought to the show by Elmer
Egbert of Botkins, Ohio. Instead of being operated by horses, teams
of ponies were used, much to the delight of the crowd.
To add variety to the ‘Old Time Thresher Show’, several
added attractions were seen this year. On Saturday and Sunday the
visitor was entertained by those crazy characters, the Keystone
Cops from Findlay, Ohio. No one was safe from being
‘arrested’ and hauled away in the paddy wagon. Incidently,
these ‘Cops’ were all off duty policemen from Findlay. On
Friday evening the crowd was entertained by Nancy Lee and The
Hill-toppers from radio station WOWO. On Saturday evening Bud
Widmer and his Rube Band from Defiance, Ohio gave a very enjoyable
band concert that was well worth listening to. These musicians can
play the kind of music to satisfy anyones musical apetite. Saturday
and Sunday, Lemo, The Wrasslin Lion was at the show to go thru his
paces but, alas, poor Lemo fizzeled out. The noises from the
whistles and the show in general made him very nervous and he would
not perform. He was, however, quite an attraction to the
visitor.
How did the ‘Old Time Thresher and Saw Mill Operator
show’ get it’s start? Way back in the year 1951, Jim
Whitbey put on a neighborhood threshing show with the neighbors
bringing in their horses and wagons to haul the grain from the
field to the threshing machine. Jay Gould, the farm service
director of Radio Station WOWO, broadcast news of there himself and
tended the blower. Fermen Bloom of Churubusco, Indiana came with
his model engine and thresher and Bill Eby of Maxim, Indiana was
there with his model bailer. At noon time, eggs were fried in a
scoop shovel held in the fire-box of the ‘Susie Q’ a 20 HP
Rumely engine. Jim studied for quite some time trying to arrive at
a name for his show that got its start in the field north of the
house. Finally, he came up with the name ‘Old Time
Thresher’, remembering that quite a few of his first visitors
were old time threshermen. Thus the name ‘Old Time Thresher and
Saw Mill Operators’ as we know it to-day.
This year, as has been the custom, Radio Station WOWO
co-sponsored the ‘Old Time Thresher and Saw Mill Operator
Show’. Personal from the station set up a broadcast booth on
the grounds and live broadcasts were made throughout the four days
of the show. Personal from the studio were on the grounds and the
visitor had the opportunity to meet, in person, his favorite radio
personality.
The dates for the 1964 show are: Thurs, Fri. Sat. and Sun, Aug.
13th, 14th, 15th and 16th.
