Join Us At Blanchard

By Staff
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Sue Sutton of Evert, Michigan, with 1937 WC Allis-Chalmers.
Sue Sutton of Evert, Michigan, with 1937 WC Allis-Chalmers.
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Tom Logan, Williamston, Michigan, and his 1 HP Foos.
Tom Logan, Williamston, Michigan, and his 1 HP Foos.
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1918 Case 9-18. Owner Roger Brookens, Shepherd, Michigan.
1918 Case 9-18. Owner Roger Brookens, Shepherd, Michigan.
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Carl's shingle shack. Owner is Carl Weismiller of Ithaca, Michiga.
Carl's shingle shack. Owner is Carl Weismiller of Ithaca, Michiga.

10750 S. Vroman Road, Shepherd, Michigan 48883-9352

The 13th Annual Blanchard Millpond Steam and Gas Show is now a
memory, but what a delightful one it is.

Mother Nature was very good to our show this year, a little
rainy mist on Friday, but Saturday and Sunday were sunny and
warm.

We had a large turnout of exhibitors. One hundred ninety
tractors, 224 gas engines, 49 garden tractors and cultivators, and
17 models, along with tool displays, chain and drag saws, and boat
motors, were on display. There were 177 registered exhibitors.

Vern Lang, Kent City, Michigan, had his very nice display of 15
hog oilers which were all mounted on a trailer.

Our featured tractor for 1998 was J. I. Case, and Roger Brookens
of Shepherd, Michigan, took time out from his very busy farming
schedule to bring his nice collection of J. I. Case tractors.

The featured gas engine was Field-Brundage and Foos. Tom Logan,
Williamston, Michigan, had his 1? Foos, the only Foos at the show.
There were no Field-Brundage engines there.

The Friday night horse pull had a good turnout of pullers;
fifteen showed up from a wide area of Michigan. Also on Friday
night there was a gospel sing put on by Julie Smith and her group
at our ‘brown’ barn which is on the other side of the park.
They also drew a nice-sized crowd.

There were three steam traction engines owned and operated by
George Moss of Mt. Pleasant, George Flaugher of Weidman, and Terry
Schutt of Mt. Pleasant, all in Michigan. The spectators always
enjoy seeing and talking with these men about their big
‘toys.’

The antique tractor pulls both Saturday and Sunday had a very
good turnout of pullers, and some traveled a long distance to the
pull.

On Saturday the Powder Puff and 1940 and older pulls were held.
The ladies sure like to get on that track and ‘stretch that
chain .’ Sunday the 1952 and older pulled, and there was a
large crowd of pullers.

The spark show on Friday and Saturday night, put on by the steam
traction engines, is always a crowd pleaser. If you have never seen
this, it looks like hundreds of sparklers rising in the air.

Don Merrihew of Mt. Pleasant, Glenn Higgins of Rosebush, and Ron
Miller of Weidman supported our show again this year by putting on
a great antique construction equipment demonstration on Saturday.
These three men sure do enjoy digging in the dirt.

The Dale Hafer Band, of Coleman, Michigan, played country music
on Saturday evening from 7:30 to 10:00 p.m. in the ‘brown’
barn. Bob Schafer, Owosso, Michigan, sat in and played with them
also.

Terry Schutt received the oldest exhibit plaque for his 1908
Port Huron steam traction engine.

Jon Bontrager, Elkhart, Indiana, received the
farthest-distance-traveled plaque. Jon was showing his old railroad
engines.

This past summer, two gentlemen from the Blanchard area noticed
(the Park Board had known this for some time) that our food booth
was in need of some repair. So Jarot Karcher and Scott Parks took
it upon themselves to build a new food wagon. They did a super job
and received a lot of nice compliments from the crowd at our steam
and gas show.

There are a lot of people who volunteer to help us put on this
show. Due to the fact I may miss someone’s name, I won’t
try to list everyone, only say ‘thanks a million’ for your
help. You know who you are.

As with all shows everywhere, the more help there is, the
smoother things run. Everyone should always keep in mind that we do
this for enjoyment for ourselves, the exhibitors, and the
spectators.

Our 1999 show dates are August 27, 28, 29, when we will be
featuring Massey-Harris and Ferguson tractors and implements and
Fuller & Johnson engines.

So, mark your show book and calendars for the last weekend in
August, and visit with us at the Millpond, just east of Blanchard,
Michigan. I know you will enjoy it.

Photos are by Arnold Spencer, Alma, Michigan.

  • Published on Mar 1, 1999
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