A chat of five men over coffee in a Culbertson restaurant led to
the start of the Northeastern Montana Threshers and Antique
Association, about 17 years ago.
As the quintet discussed shows they had seen, they decided to
see if they could get 12 or 15 old tractors together and put on
‘a little show’ of their own.
Sterling McKinney, the local Ford dealer, was elected president.
E. A. ‘Nute’ Anklam, who was in the Postal Service and
later became Postmaster, was named secretary. McKinney continues as
president, but retired from the auto dealership. Anklam retired
from the secretary post because of his wife’s illness, but
continues his interest in the club.
The progress made by the group is indicated by the 100 units
running in the parade at the 16th annual Threshing Bee and Antique
Show in 1979. Attendance was estimated by Anklam at between 3,500
and 4,000 during the two days. Considering the normal size of
Culbertson-about 1,000-that brings in a lot of visitors.
Montana magazine, published in Helena, calls the show the
biggest fall tourist attraction in northeast Montana. The club
claims the largest display of engines and equipment in the
Northwest.
Members include many father-son teams. Old engines that looked
like junk-heap material were restored through the know-how and the
persistence of the membership. Some of the pieces are now owned by
the organization; some by members, and some are there on contract
with the understanding that the club will fix them up and keep them
in the show for at least 10 years.
McKinney told a Montana magazine writer that exhibits recently
added include a planer, a shingle mill, a blacksmith shop, and a
stationary hoist for ore mining from Lincoln, Montana. He is proud
of a Minneapolis Ford tractor, and understands there are only two
other of these in running order. A 1916 C.O.C. is the only known
engine of its kind being operated.
He is seeking additional exhibits for the show, with emphasis on
oldtime farm machinery.
The association has issued two handbooks. The 1979 edition
contains the history of many of the group’s tractors, plus a
section by Hal Lewis, of Grey, Saskatchewan, Canada, the show
announcer. His article deals with the history of farm tractors from
about 1850 through 1940. A few copies are available at $2.50
postpaid.
Officers listed in the 1979 handbook are: McKinney, president;
Bradley Evenson, Brockton, vice president; Rodney Iverson,
Culbertson, treasurer; James Marmon, Wolf Point, secretary; and
four other directors, Charles Engelke, Harlow Strandlund, Merle
Krogedal, all of Foird, and Glen Munz, Wolf Point.
The 1978 program contained this note for spectators: ‘Talk
to the stranger at your elbow. Chances are he came from a distant
state and feels the same fascination for the magnificent old
machines that you do.’
Anklam notes: ‘We are fortunate to be only a short distance
from Williston, N.D., and Sidney, Montana, so by driving a short
distance there is always plenty of housing for people that come a
long distance and wish to stay for the second day. Our show is
always the fourth weekend in September so this year it will be
September 27 and 28.’ He adds: ‘My wife is unable to do any
work anymore so it fell on me to do the housework, cooking and so
on, and with all these extra chores, I didn’t feel I could give
the Threshers the kind of job I had been doing. So I decided to
turn the secretary work over to someone else.’
‘I am 72 years of age and in good health. In addition to my
regular duties around home, I spend much of my spare time in the
wide open spaces trapping predator animals as well as fur-bearers-a
good healthy and profitable passtime.’
The engine was bought new from Power Equipment Co., Minneapolis,
Minnesota in 1910 or 1911, and used to power a ferry boat on the
Missouri River at Lismus, now under Fort Peck Lake. It was also
used at Oswego where the ferry boat froze in the river about 1915.
Not used since then, it was restored in 1968. These engines were
used mostly in elevators, mills, pumping and electric plants. The
Foos was well built, the bearings were bronze, the engine
well-balanced for their day.
