1001 McCambridge, Madison, Illinois 62060
Five years ago some fellows in the vicinity of Greenville, IL.
began displaying some of their antique farm machinery at the Bond
County Fair held in Greenville (50 miles east of St. Louis, MO.).
Each year the display grew as the Fair Board provided a tent and 24
hour guards. The enthusiam was such, that by 1974 the Fair had
constructed a 50′ x 200′ open sided building just for the
antique machinery display. During the 1975 show it was decided to
organize a club, which was done last November.
1976 show dates were August 21-27. Local machinery dealers
donated their trucks to gather the equipment in for the show and
return it home. In addition, local service companies donated
gasoline for the engines and tractors. Their was a total of 160 gas
engines, 50 tractors and 3 steam engines registered.
On Friday, August 20, Leroy Brave, ‘spark plug’ Dick
Debatin and President Mike Evans began hauling in tractors,
equipment and engines. Vice-president, John Anthony, was in charge
of placing the items on the grounds and in the building. By noon
Saturday most items were in place. It would be impossible to name
everyone responsible for a smooth running operation, but the
Stockamp boys, Mike and Paul, were invaluable as were George Rider,
Paul Poeling and others. Dick and Judy Debatin kept everybody
‘gassed up.’
A ‘roll call’ of club members would be almost
impossible, but we will mention a few. Ernie Altevogt and Rich Lehn
showed up with about 15 engines each. Three generations of McAtees
brought a trailer load and ‘Red’ Stamer had his implement
truck loaded with one tractor and several engines, including a
‘set’ of John Deere’s. (There are at least 3
‘sets’ in our club, but all were not able to be there).
Earl Haselhorst had the largest engine at the show, that being an
80 HP Muncie diesel mounted on a semi trailer. Melvin Long, who
donated a 50 HP Superior engine to the club also displayed a dozen
engines. Charlie Blume was there with his Maytags and Everett
Himstedt demonstrated his skills as a blacksmith all week long.
The steam portion of the show was under the direction of Charlie
Crouch and Justino Panieri, with Richard Crouch, Kenneth Crouch,
John Panieri and Perry Miles assisting. They threshed and baled
every day. The wheat was hauled to market in a 1935 Hug Truck.
Some of the rare engines present included: Lister diesel-(Made
in England), Ericsson hot air engine, Fuller & Johnson,
Stickney, Detroit, Ideal, upright Maytag and Monarch.
Our tractor line-up included Fordson, flat head F-12’s and
I.H.C.’s, Eagle, Twin City, Best 30, A.C. Graham Bradley,
Thieman, Massey Harris, and John Deere’s, including both series
of spoke flywheel D’s, a Wide Tread G.P. and a streamlined AO
(orchard model).
Even as items got hauled home, there was buying and trading as
though next years’ show was just around the corner.
