On any weekend in the towns and byways of rural America one
might encounter a herd of prehistoric machines moving through the
grassy fields with the cumbersome gait of elephants. Splendidly
restored with polished brass and a dazzling display of colors,
these lumbering giants, in a haze of steam and smoke, puff and chug
as they pass before thousands of eager spectators in a grand
parade. They are called Steam Traction Engines. In the era before
the dominance of gasoline, diesel fuel and electricity they would
wield their slow stately way from town to town to plow fields and
thresh grain.
With the dawning of the 20th century, steam traction engines
were found throughout much of the world, but nowhere did they
flourish as they did in the farms and prairies of mid-western
America.
Due to their rather expensive cost, not every farm had one. So
during the harvest season the engines traveled from farm to farm
threshing grain while all the farmers chipped in to help each other
out.
While the men worked the fields, the women busied themselves
preparing hearty meals for the crew. All in all everyone was very
busy.
Looking back we see the days as the good old days, but by
today’s standards the harvest rings were terribly hard work.
The engineer was up before dawn in order to build up a head of
steam. There was wood, water and coal to be hauled to the fields,
often brought out by horses or mules. An engine consumed a lot of
both in a day’s time. The work lasted from sun up to sun down,
with breaks only for meals. I’m sure we are all happy those
days are behind us.
The steam tractor’s reign proved to be a short one, as the
engine proved to be economically impractical to most farmers. With
the advent of the gas tractor, good old yankee ingenuity made it
possible for every farmer to own his very own tractor. The steam
engine soon became a dinosaur too slow and too much work. Most were
parked behind the barn or sold for scrap to support the war effort
of another world war, their boilers dry and their Smoke stacks
quiet.
During the ’50’s the American worker found new
prosperity- Shorter work weeks and more money in their pockets.
With time on his hands a strange thing happened. Someone built a
fire. It was a small fire but it was to grow all across the
country.
First it was just a whisper of smoke from the stack and ever so
slowly the pressure gauge inched itself off where it sat pegged for
so many years. 20 pounds, 40 pounds, and on up to 80 and even 90
pounds, all of a sudden a whistle blows stating that it’s alive
again. Slowly the big wheels begin to inch ahead. The proud owner
slowly manages to show a smile through the soot that covers his
face. Apart from his happiness, a machine that had helped America
grow and prosper to what it is now was saved.
During the last 30 years hundreds of engines have been rescued
from along fence rows, scrap heaps and old barns. Cleaned, sanded,
refitted with new flues and painted, these engines once again get
covered with oil and soot. Now the engine has triumphantly been
restored to life, not to work as it has so labored in its younger
years, but to be paraded around in gallant splendor; stating to
each and every one of us that it’s glad to be alive. Now each
summer hundreds of these gleaming giants perform at steam shows.
Not only do the steam engines do this but gas engines that got
replaced with electric motors get to join in this pageantry. All in
all this is a salute to those who cared enough to save a slice of
American history. ‘Thank You.’ From the officers and
directors of the Maumee Valley Steam and Gas Association.
