P.O. Box 25, Bird City, Kansas 67731
Tri-State Antique Engines & Threshers Association, Inc., and
Tri-State Auto Club have been putting on the annual Tri-State Steam
& Auto Show for some five years out of the 24 years Tri-State
has been in operation.
The home of Tri-State is in the northeast corner of the city of
Bird City, just south of US 36 Highway. Previous to 1975 it was
held at the Kite farm 41/2 miles northeast of
Bird City.
Tri-State is now showing 15 to 18 steamers plus one Corliss
which is operated in the ‘dining room’ of the show, (of all
places). Some 80 to 85 gas and fuel burning tractors from 8-16 to
40-80 HP. About 20 to 30 antique and classic cars and a ‘swap
shop.’ Approximately 70 to 80 gas engines from ‘some’
to 40 HP, three combines and horsedrawn machinery from 1890.
Activities include the usual fix-up-fire-up each morning, coffee
break, plowing with the 12 bottom plow, sawmill, threshing, if no
rain the night before, prony brake, Baker Fan, hydraulic
dynamometer and one medium sized mud hole. This separates the
engineers from the cat skinners. Break for lunch. Entertainment
during the noon hour varies from western music to an Indian
raid.
Lunch over, parade of all equipment which hasn’t been
checked out by spectators, whistle code both rail and thresherman,
slow and fast races with steamers, more threshing, (burn straw
pile). A real coffee break, pyramid stunt, more power testing,
combining standing wheat, (if it hasn’t been destroyed by hail)
more plowing and threshing, small engines popping and dancing all
over the place and maybe someone has got a finger in the gear
train. Also some small steam models are here too. We hope to have a
boiler and steam table and lines available shortly.
Then there is the clown who got a toe mashed by the steam roller
and has just returned from the Vet’s office. He has a friend
who cannot stand the sight of blood, so the Vet. gave him the
anesthesia. Coffee break.
About time to start wrapping up for the afternoon. Possibly have
a show of the movies of previous shows. Recall old friends and
remember some of the problems of other shows, such as grass fires,
blown water gauges, frozen lines and valves in October, getting
stuck on the old straw pile, baling all the spacer blocks for the
baler in the first bale.
New items for the 1977 show were the IHC Baler (hand tie), 8
restored gas tractors, several cars, some from Rocky Ford,
Colorado. Thanks fellows! Several gas engines and several pieces of
horsedrawn tillage machinery were also present. Also an unrestored
1919 Kissel truck watch for this item in 1978.
By the time this appears, Tri-State will have added a new metal
shop building 40 x 40, insulated and operating in the repair and
restoration of the equipment we now have on hand and which we will
be picking up for improving our show.
Show dates for 1978 are July 27, 28, 29 and 30. See you
then.
