R.R. 3, Box 78, Mt. Pleasant, Iowa 52641
On June 4th and 5th, the South-east Iowa Antique Gas Engine Club
held its 11th annual show in Denmark, Iowa. The show was originally
located in Franklin, Iowa, for the first five years. Then the show
was moved to its present site, in Star Park.
Setting up for the show started the preceding weekend, with many
of the exhibitors coming early in the week to set up.
Saturday at about 7:00, the first engine was fired up and the
show had started. For awhile it looked as if it would rain, but by
noon the dark clouds had passed us by and the sun appeared. There
were engines pumping water, shelling corn, and running a cement
mixer. A 10 HP Fairbanks Morse throttling governor engine powered
the grist mill. Corn meal was sold. Steam provided the power to saw
logs into boards. In the afternoon, a caravan of Packard cars
stopped at the show for a short time. At 3:00 a parade of all the
tractors and cars was held around the grounds. There were many
souvenirs, antiques, and other things to buy from the 160 flea
market dealers. As it got dark, light plants were started,
providing light for the later arriving spectators. At 8:00 a
country band, made up of members of the club, played.
Sunday, the weather was perfect and the crowd was good.
Exhibitors continued to arrive into the afternoon. Then it soon
came time to load up and start out on the trip home.
This year there were a total of 185 exhibitors. There were 340
gas engines, 22 tractors, 4 model steam engines, 25 cars and about
15 antique motorcycles. The biggest engines were a Fairbanks Morse
25 HP vertical generator plant and a 1901, 12 HP Reid, Clerk cycle
engine. The smallest was a 1/2 HP Ideal. There were many different
makes of engines present, including Domestic, St. Marys, R & V,
Lauson-Lawton, Missouri, Associated, Sandow, Witte, Monitor,
Reeves, Fairbanks Morse and Rawleigh.
A brass plaque, featuring the Moline Universal tractor, was
given to each exhibitor. This year’s souvenir button featured
the 8-cycle Aermotor, and were sold for a dollar.
Saturday morning a pancake breakfast was held by Planned
Progress. Saturday noon dinner and Sunday noon dinner was taken
care of by the Women’s Fellowship. Also, on the grounds were
small food stands.
This show is held each year the first weekend in June. It is a
great show that is continuing to grow bigger and better each
year.
