Rt. Box 368, Lawrenceburg, Kentucky 4034
The Bluegrass Steam and Gas Engine Association of Harrodsburg,
Kentucky held its 12th reunion August 13, 14, 15, at the
Danville-Boyle County Fairgrounds, 9 miles south of Harrodsburg on
U.S. 127.
Many exhibitors had arrived on Thursday, but on Friday and
Saturday morning, they really poured in. Friday saw the many
exhibitors getting set up and settled for the weekend. Flea market
people started to arrive in the afternoon. By Saturday morning the
flea market area was full!
After a rain stopped on Saturday morning, activities really
began. The flea market area had all types of things for sale:
gadgets, tools, glasswares, pictures, artist drawings, and all
kinds of antique auto parts.
Down in the steam engine area, they were getting ready to thresh
wheat with a McCormick Deering thresher powered by a big Case
engine owned by Dick Gibson.
You also have to include Kitch’s Steam Calliope with the
steam power. Clovis saw that steam was always up and Elisabeth made
the whistles sing their song.
The main attraction in our steam area was the big OTIS BROTHERS
steam elevator engine that club members restored and got running by
show time. This big engine was donated to the Club by the
Brown-Williamson Tobacco Co. of Louisville, Kentucky. This big
engine was used to operate elevators in the warehouse on 9th and
Magnolia Streets in Louisville. The warehouse was being dismantled
and the coordinator, Gaylord Long, had gotten in touch with us
through one of our members, Herman Pearl, who lives in Louisville.
The engine was dismantled, loaded on a truck and brought to the
farm of A.G. McConnell of Danville. Members cleaned, loosened
parts, scraped grease and dirt and made a wagon on which to display
the engine. We had this engine running at our 1980 show. We
didn’t have time to paint and trim the engine, but should have
that done by this year’s show. A. G. Mc-Connell furnished power
with the Frick engine he is building into a tractor engine. Jim
Alexander and family had their home-built steam traction on display
and running. We had good steam displays plus a steam table.
Mr. Kenneth Osborne of Bardstown, Kentucky exhibited one fine
trailer and excellent restored engines at the Bluegrass steam and
gas engine show.
Pat Curry of Dry Ridge, Kentucky and president of the Northern
Kentucky Steam & Gas Engine Association displayed a fine 7 HP
Galloway engine.
Curtis and William Currens of Salvisa, Kentucky showed a fine
trailer of restored engines at the show. Curtis is a director in
our Association.
We had the best tractor display ever. Some of the tractors
running around were: a Gibson garden tractor; 5 John Deere’s;
two F-20 McCormick Deerings; one 1930 Case model C; and a Leader
tractor.
An unofficial count of 350 gas engines were on display for young
and old to talk about and to see what many of them did. As one
walked among the exhibits you could see corn being ground by a big
6 HP Fairbanks Morse; power being generated by a Delco light plant;
water being pumped by various engines supplying the power.
Fairbanks Morse, Delco, Alfa Delaval, Bohon, Hagan, McCormick
Deering, .IHC, Maytag, Briggs & Stratton, Stover, Aeromotor,
Moguls, Stickney, Geiser, Alamo, Jumbo, Sattley, Galloway,
Domestic, Economy, Witte: these were just a few of the names that
were at the show! An unusual Fairbanks Morse barrel scale caught
many an eye. A first for our show was a shingle mill which owners
of tractors could take their turn at powering.
There was a lot of music and dancing for all to enjoy on
Saturday afternoon and night. The ‘Kentucky Hoed owners’
put on an exhibition square dance and got spectators to join the
act. Saturday evening one of the most colorful groups of senior
citizens from the Central Baptist Church in Winchester, put on a
delightful show. The evening was climaxed by the ‘Cumberland
Hoe-downers’ and the country music of Benny Rainwater and the
Copper-stones.
A large crowd attended the worship service on Sunday led by
Pastor Benthrup. Antique cars filled the grounds by 1:00 PM for the
car show. All types of cars were there ranging from a 1905 Cadillac
to the modern street rods. A total of 90 cars were entered.
We are looking forward to a great show again in 1982.
