R.D.#3, Box 268, Red Lion, Pennsylvania 17356.
On September 28, 29, 30 and October 1, 1989 the Early American
Steam Engine & Old Equipment Society held their 32nd annual
Steam-O-Rama at their show grounds located just outside of Windsor,
Pennsylvania.
Beautiful weather permitted one of the best shows to date. There
were daily demonstrations of sawmilling, burr milling, shingle
milling, stone crushing, threshing, baling & blacksmithing. The
Baker fan and dynomometer were also available for any tractor at
the show to ‘show’ their stuff.
The featured item at the show was the Capital Engine
manufactured by C. H. A. Dissinger of Wrightsville, Pennsylvania
which is approximately five miles from the show grounds. On hand
were Mr. Dissinger’s daughter and granddaughter who were given
a show plaque with the engine’s picture. Besides the engine
pictured on the plaque, there was another Capital engine, as well
as a Faulker, a few Yorks and several other more common gas
engines. Many items exhibited at the show brought a variety of
comments from exhibitors and guests. Exhibited items included steam
engines, crawlers, gas engines, old saws, hay forks, cream
separators, horse drawn equipment, antique cars, a fire truck,
calliope, tractors (including Pres. Dwight Eisenhower’s Black
Hawk 40), and many other items.
In an attempt to entertain everyone at the show, besides the
many flea market exhibitors, this year was the first for several
contests open to anyone attending the show. These contests included
a slow tractor race, tobacco spitting, two man cross cut sawing and
a pedal tractor pull for children and adults. Prizes were awarded
and both observers and contestants had an enjoyable time.
As with every show, one of the highlights for everyone in
attendance was the large selection of homemade food. You could
watch the apple butter, scrapple and corn meal, as well as kettles
of soup, being made, and then go to the kitchen and purchase them
as well as several other food entrees and desserts.
Plans are already underway for next year’s show which we
anticipate will be even bigger and better. There were many
equipment manufacturers in the York area in the early 1900’s,
helping to give our show not only antique equipment interest, but a
touch of local color as well.