R. D. 4 Meadville, Pa. 16335
I was built in Pennsylvania
Many, many years ago
I was made of steel and iron
And built to last you know
Now ever since that day
As I went along my way
I and others of my kind
Have made this country great
Now that’s no idle dream
What would this land be like today
If it hadn’t been for steam?
We plowed the vast prairie
And planted it to wheat
Then ground it into flour
To make the bread you eat
We cut the lumber for your homes
And also hauled your freight
We built the roads across the plains
That link the east and west
No matter what the job was
We always did our best
We powered the ships that sail the sea
And turned the wheels of industry
We asked no wage for the work we did
Our doctor bills were few
Just water to drink and coal to eat
And we sawed your logs
And threshed your grain
We filled your silos too
In mines, and mills, and factories
Your labors we did share
We spun the yarn
And wove the cloth
To make the clothes you wear
Now they say I’m obsolete and badly out of date
And that the junk yard will finally be my fate
But I have got just one more chore
I have got to go and show
The young folks how we did the work
Fifty years and more ago.