Reprinted with permission from The Macon County journal
The Macon County Flywheel and Collectible Club recently began
moving two stationary steam engines from Kirksville to the old
tennis courts at the Macon County Fairgrounds Park.
The engines are to be set in concrete and reassembled, and then
the club hopes to begin construction of a pole-type structure which
will house not only the engines, but other items transforming the
structure into a museum, Willard Main, president of the club
said.
The engines were donated to the club by the Baldwin family in
Kirksville in 1984. They were used to generate electricity in the
old shoe factory in Kirksville.
Since 1984, members of the club have been dismantling the
engines for transportation to Macon.
One of the engines was patented on Sept. 15, 1885 and was
manufactured by Dynamo Engine Co. of Ridge way, PA. The ‘ridge
way Engine’ has a 22-inch bore, a 22-inch stroke, and generated
300 HP at 200 rpm.
The other machine was built before 1900 by the Bates Machine Co.
in Joliet, Ill. The 14-foot flywheel weighs approximately 11
tons.
Main said the club probably wouldn’t be able to get the
engines reassembled in time for this year’s annual show to be
held at the fairgrounds the last weekend in July. However, they
hope to complete the work by the end of this year.
Work on the building for the museum might begin this fall, but
is more likely to begin next summer, Main said.
The building is being funded from proceeds of the shows, which
drew approximately 5,000 people and hundreds of exhibitors last
year, he said.
The building will measure 60ft. x 120 ft. Other items to be
displayed in the museum will include everything from blankets and
primitive tools to blacksmithing items.
Main said the museum will be open by appointment, during the
shows each year, and possibly on weekends, once it is
completed.
