Box 133, LeCenter, Minnesota 56057
In spite of an earlier shower of rain, sunshine and cool weather
prevailed thru out our fourth annual Le Sueur County Pioneer Power
Assn. Threshing Show held on our permanent grounds, located seven
miles northwest of LeCenter, Minn., at the Dave Preuhs farm.
Attendance was nearly a thousand including several car loads of old
timers brought from the Central Nursing Home in LeCenter. Many of
these people are retired farmers having lived their entire lives in
the area. They received much enjoyment visiting at our show.
Our first major show proved to be an overwhelming success,
having 51 antique tractors, 77 gas engines and many, many pieces of
old farm machinery including several threshing rigs, corn
shredders, plows and a saw mill. Also, Jim Mollenhauer of Le Sueur,
Minn., operated his 24 H.P. Minneapolis Steam Engine, bringing back
memories for many old timers.
The field activities included sawing lumber and shingles which
seem to disappear among the crowd as fast as they are sawed (must
be a lot of leaky roofs around that need patching). Mike Kovich and
Wally Carlson of Jordan, Minn., own and operate the saw mill, which
Maynard Rohloff and Gordon Mutch were kept busy at the shingle
mill. Glen and Eldon Braun of Le Center provided power for the saw
mill with a 25-45 Lauson and Dave Preuhs had his 28-50 Hart Parr
belted up for awhile.
Sixteen hundred bushels of oats were threshed out of 8 stacks by
a 36-inch Red River Special owned by Dave Preuhs, a 22 inch Red
River Special owned by Wayne Schwartz and a 28-inch Belle City
owned by Wayne Schwartz. Also powering these rigs were a 45-65
Avery belonging to the Budinski Bros, of West Concord, Minn., a
1928 John Deere owned by Bill Theleman of Le Sueur, Minn., and many
other tractors too numerous to mention.
Baling straw was an interesting event using a 1915 John Deere
Dain hay press owned by Glen and Eldon Braun and powered by a Model
H John Deere, also owned by them. Corn shredding was done with a
four roll Rosenthal corn shredder owned by Dave Preuhs. The Baker
Fan is always a challenge to any engine and was put to good use
both days.
Plowing events went on both days using all sorts of steel wheel
plows and many people commented how black the soil was here and it
proved to be a load for the tractors. An hour-long parade was held
each day running around the grounds, and up thru Gas Engine Grove;
very truly every tractor and many old cars and trucks ran in the
parade.
Gas Engine Grove proved to be the highlight of the show this
year for both young and old. Among the 77 gas, oil, and steam
engines was a 20 H.P. Fairbanks and Morris Model Y oil engine owned
and operated by Roman and Bob Kalina of Lonsdale, Minn. One of the
most unusual gas engines was a 1? H.P. Fuller and Johnson Upright
pump engine complete with a pump in beautiful working order and
owned by Bill Theleman of Le Sueur, Minn. Elston Mahacheck from
Northfield, Minn, showed and operated his hand made scale Case
steam traction engine and circle saw, sawing wood
Mr. and Mrs. Willmer Tiede placed on display 100 of their most
colorful hand painted cast iron seats, many of which are scarce
including some round seats. Willmar also showed his Des Moines 1?
H.P. gas engine which to his knowledge is the only one in
existence. Willmer and Delores run the family farm three miles
north of Le Center, Minn.
About the most original piece of equipment was an Ottawa drag
saw bought new by his father and now operated by Orbe Reddemann.
Mr. and Mrs. Reddemann live only a half mile from the show site.
Orbe and Alba Braun also sawed logs with their 30-year-old, two-man
Mail chain saws. Alba is 73 years old and also lives only a half
mile from the show with his wife, Betty.
There were many more displays too numerous to mention, including
barbed wire collections and very nice collections of local Indian
Relics and guns owned and showed by Wayne and Diane Braun of the
Country Corral Le Center, Minn. With all our equipment, tractors,
and engines in beautiful show condition, painted, and running, our
show next year promises to be even bigger and better.
