Submitted by Rob La Bell 4077 Day Street Burton, Michigan
48519
As we watched trucks, tractors, various antique vehicles,
assorted engines and steamers come into the Village for the show on
August 5 & 6, 1989 it seemed an appropriate welcome when the
steam whistle on the Huckleberry R.R. engine gave its blast. It was
thrilling to see how it was all shaping up, helping people find
their places to set up displays. The Village Collectors Club was
the host for the weekend, welcoming clubs from several areas. We
were pleased to have about 100 different exhibitors.
There were engines of all types chugging, thumping, popping, and
hissing-the technical names and facts of which I knew little. That
did not keep me from enjoying the sights and sounds and stories
from the old and the not-so-old who were more than pleased to share
their memories and tell how they worked to restore their prized
possessions to show them off as they were in their prime. Some of
the old engines were rigged up to do fun things like make ice
cream, work a marble game, pop corn, and many just to hum and
whirr-making their own music all over the Village Commons.
One street in the village was roped off and large circles were
prepared for those participating in the Marble Shoot. I saw young
and old testing their shooting skills, and some of us, like me,
were just watching and cheering-on our favorites. They gave a
souvenir bag of marbles to all who registered. Over on another
street was an area for the Kiddie Pedal Pulling Contest. Those kids
really gave a good effort, and were really pleased to receive the
beautifully made trophies that were built by our club president,
Rob La Bell. There was also a hospitality tent where the ladies of
the Collectors Club gave out coffee and doughnuts, and had a
display of old kitchen and farm implements. Also, we had old
clothing, dolls, fancywork, sewing basket items, and some old-time
projects being worked on while people watched.
In the Stanley School was a storyteller sharing books with toys
that were featured in them. Each day at 1:00 we held a parade of
the vehicles through town, led by the Crossroads Village Kazoo
Band, made up of members of our Collectors Club.
We sweltered in the high 90 ‘s on Saturday, and then
shivered on Sunday-due to a thirty degree drop in the temperature.
But I’m sure many of us have warm memories of the weekend.
We’ll look forward to meeting you all again on this and other
crossroads-when we can share more fun and pay honor to the
mechanical work, strength, and ingenuity of our forefathers who
gave us such a rich history to learn from and enjoy, and now to
help recreate. So, till then, be s-s-s-s-seeing you!