West Virginia Oil and Gas Festival

By Staff
Published on July 1, 1988
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Exec. Dir. West Virginia Oil and Gas Festival, P. O. Box 25,
Sistersville, West Virginia, 26175

The 19th Annual ‘Old Gas Engine Show’, an event of the
West Va. Oil and Gas Festival in Sistersville this past September
17-20 was termed a success by Auther Shreves and Virgle Webber,
event Cochairmen for this year’s show.

‘We didn’t have the best weather, but we had a lot of
fun,’ stated Shreves and Webber.

This year’s ‘Old Gas Engine Show’ registered 339
engines from ten different states in the festivals’ first four
day show. 162 exhibitors were on hand with 40 new exhibitors taking
part.

Festival officials checked their records and found that seven
persons have been in attendance for at least 12 years. Herbert
Holmes of Moundsville, West Virginia had taken part in the festival
for 14 years; Lee Roy Howell of Middlebourne, West Virginia;
Charles R. Snider of New Martinsville, West Virginia and John
Maxwell of Caldwell, Ohio; had taken part for 13 years. Charles L.
Kernan of Proctor, West Virginia; Jack Fortney of Warsaw, Ohio and
Howard D. Miller of Southington, Ohio has made it 12 times.

‘We must be doing something right to have these and other
engine owners back year after year’, stated festival
officials.

The 1987 festival had something for every member of the family
besides the annual ‘Old Gas Engine Show’. Some of the other
events were the Antique Auto Show, Country Store, Gib Morgan
Liars’ Contest, Grand Oil and Gas Trophy Parade, Gas Hog Mud
Bog, Oil and Gas Band-A-Ratna, Rod and Custom Auto Show, West
Virginia Armwrestling Championships, Art Exhibit, Craft Exhibit,
Photo Exhibit, Demonstrating Craftsmen, Stamp and Coin Show, Gib
Morgan Wrench Throwing Contest, Horse Shoe Pitching Contest, and
many more. There was entertainment each day and the Old Time
Campfire Sing one night.

When engine owners and their families weren’t taking part in
other events, they were showing off their engines, trading stories
and answering questions from festival visitors. There were even a
few trades and sales made on the side.

This year’s show was sponsored by Quaker State Corp. of Oil
City, Pennsylvania and the Wiser Oil Co. of Sistersville. Thanks to
the sponsors there was free gas and oil for engine owners, also
free admission and camping. Special brass plaques were given to all
who registered.

Plans have already started for the 20th annual ‘Old Gas
Engine Show’ to be held September 15 to 18, 1988 at the
Sistersville City Park. ‘We are making plans for more and
better entertainment, new events as well as our old standby events.
Being our 20th year, we are going all out to make this year’s
festival the best ever held and hope that all our friends will
return to Sistersville for a really good time’, stated Shreves
and Webber.

The show committee and festival officials wish to thank the many
engine owners and families that helped with this years’ show.
Special thanks to our festival friends Robert W. Moore of
Louisville, Kentucky and Harry Horner of Dayton, Ohio.

Anyone wishing information on the 1988 show and festival can
write to the West Virginia Oil and Gas Festival, P. O. Box 25,
Sistersville, West Virginia, 26175.

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