R.R. 1, Cambridge (Preston) Ontario’. N3H4R6
Oh, I know that’s not the way you spell Florida, but as you
drive south and listen, you can tell when you are getting close by
the way it’s pronounced. After you arrive and tour around a
little, you soon find that Florida is a melting pot of people from
all over North America and many parts of Europe. Some of them are
seeking to make their fortune and others just trying to avoid the
cold of winter.
By now, you have realized that my wife and I have escaped again
this spring. We packed a few things in the camper and took off on
March 29 at about 5 PM and arrived at Loughman, Florida at about
8:00 PM March 31.
Loughman is about seven miles south of Disney World and is the
home of Bill and Duretta Schneider. We parked in their yard for a
couple of days before meandering down to Key West. After a
leisurely tour of Southern Florida, we returned to Loughman and
attended a Gas-Up at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Carl Austin at St.
Petersburg. Their Gas-Up was part of the activities of the Florida
Flywheelers, a club of homesick northerners and interested
Floridians, which has been drawn together largely by the efforts of
Bill and Duretta. They serve the offices of President and
Secretary. The club as such does not hold a show of their own, but
have Gas-Ups in each others yards once a month in order to stir up
interest in the hobby and they also participate in any shows held
in the state by individual members.
We met Mr. and Mrs. Ray Schisler and Mr. and Mrs. Art Clarke who
are both former Canadians but who now live and work in Florida; Mr.
and Mrs. Austin and their daughter, Nancy, who were the hosts of
the day. Col. Houston L. Herndon of Sarasota was there and after a
little talk we decided to visit his place the next day.
The next day April 10, Bill and I set out early on a tour that
took us to Wauchula, to the home of Earle Nickerson who has a farm
and some dairy cattle, as well as a 20-35 Rumely, several gas
engines, including a Temple Master Workman and a Huntington. Earle
also has a 1926 Studebaker, a 1940 La Salle, and a 1941 Buick. He
shows many of these nicely restored pieces at Zolpho Springs and is
a member of the Flywheelers.
After a coffee and some pleasant conversation we took off and
drove on over to Col. Herndon’s place on highway 72 east of
Sarasota.
The first indication that you get of anything out of the
ordinary, is about four windmills on short tower near the front of
the property. That should be enough to prepare you for what’s
inside. The first antique we saw inside the door was of Canadian
origin and I am sure many of you know him, Charlie Spicer. He was
working a John Deere tractor and scraper. In the main building it
looked like a reunion with groups of engines of the same make but
different sizes sitting around the building like families at an
annual get-together. Prominent among them were New Holland from
small to large; Ideal, both air and water-cooled; Fairbanks-Morse
Type Y from 25 HP on down; a Pimam engine with a good deal of
original chrome-plated parts gleaming and engine driven electric
plants of various makes and sizes and many of the old clear vision
gasoline pumps.
Outside, there are tractors, more John Deere Internationals, a
Rumely and many others. A full size and model steam tractor engines
are there, which I am sure Mr. Spicer tends with loving care.
Finally, would you believe it? A spoke flywheel John Deere and
in Florida, at that! You just never know!
Many thanks to our hosts the Schneiders and all the people we
were privileged to visit. We enjoyed seeing all the equipment. Best
wishes to all of you and success in your hobby.