35747 Co. Rd. 10 Albany, Minnesota 56307
Can you think of any better way to spend two and one-half weeks than attending three of the finest threshing shows in the Midwest? The cool (60-70 degrees) September weather is hard to beat.
Start your trip on Labor Day weekend (September 4-7), at Rollag, Minnesota, home of the Western Minnesota Steam Threshers Reunion. WMSTR is planning a super show this year with a Case Expo. The J. I. Case line of steam engines, antique tractors, cars and lots of farm equipment will be featured this year. You’ll be able to see several of the magnificent, huge 110 HP Case steam engines plus many one of a kind Case tractors and other farm equipment. No doubt about it, you’ll be busy for days looking at all the different exhibits on Steamer Hill.
After you’ve taken in all the excitement at the Rollag show, you can head west on I-94 and in less than one hour you’ll be heading into the Fargo-Moor-head area. Here you can easily spend a couple of days shopping or going to museums and just enjoying the Red River Valley area.
Now it’s time to head East on I-94 for a two-hour drive to Dalton, to take in their steam show which goes on September 11-13. Dalton, ‘Home of the Giants,’ is noted for its many steam engines of all different makes and sizes as well as many other interesting activities.
After that show you can spend a few relaxing days in the Fergus Falls and Alexandria area, an area filled with many of those beautiful lakes that Minnesota is noted for. There is also plenty of opportunity to go golfing, shopping or whatever you might enjoy. Maybe you’ll even find time to see if there are any fish in those beautiful lakes.
Now it’s time once again to head down I-94 east to Albany, Minnesota for their 18th annual Albany Pioneer Days Threshing Show. Beginning on Friday, September 18 and running through Sunday, September 20, you’ll be seeing RED. (International Red, that is!!!) Yes, the featured line at the Albany show this year is International Harvester. The show is home for a 30-60 IHC Mogul tractor, and a promised 60 Mogul stationary engine should be there, too. A special invitation goes out to all of our wonderful exhibitors to try to fill in all the vacant spots in the IHC line and make this one of the best IHC showings ever.
The Albany show, with over 25 buildings and a 100 dealer flea market, has something for everyone. The show has been fortunate enough to attract 200 or more tractors, a few steam traction and stationary engines, and nearly 400 gas engines of all shapes and sizes. We thank all our dedicated collectors for restoring and displaying all this fine ‘old tired iron.’ The finishing touches are being put on the large 100-year-old church that was moved to the grounds a couple of years ago. Work horses and oxen demonstrations, four or more different sawmills in operation, silo filling, threshing, corn shelling and shredding and many ladies’ activities are just some of the many things you can see and enjoy during this show.
So, this Fall, make plans to come to Minnesota and take in these three great shows, all located along I-94 and only about a one and one-half hour drive between each of them. Maybe if you can find a little bit of spare time you’ll even be able to catch one of the ‘big ones’ out of one of our ‘ten thousand lakes’!!