Quartzsite’s Annual Gemboree

By Staff
Published on July 1, 1999
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25 HP Superior, 1918 owned by Loyd and Cheryl Jones, Salmon, Idaho at Quartzsite, Arizona, January 1999. The engine was formerly owned by Marathon Products, Ohio. P.S., the Barbie had clothing on!
25 HP Superior, 1918 owned by Loyd and Cheryl Jones, Salmon, Idaho at Quartzsite, Arizona, January 1999. The engine was formerly owned by Marathon Products, Ohio. P.S., the Barbie had clothing on!
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Fairbanks Morse 60 HP Diesel, 1938, weighs 12 tons and is owned by Rusty Relics of Lancaster, California.
Fairbanks Morse 60 HP Diesel, 1938, weighs 12 tons and is owned by Rusty Relics of Lancaster, California.
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Victory 20 HP oil engine, 1921, built in Niles, California. Owned by Kelly Garcia and Bob Skinner of Whitier,California.
Victory 20 HP oil engine, 1921, built in Niles, California. Owned by Kelly Garcia and Bob Skinner of Whitier,California.

3525 E. Hawser Street Tucson, Arizona 85739

Quartzsite, Arizona, is a winter mecca and destination for
winter visitors who come to show, exhibit, buy and sell gems,
antiques, collectibles and about everything else. A survey
conducted during the month of January indicated over one million
people passed through the community in that month alone, and the
average RV population was approximately 350,000 units. The
population of Quartzsite during summer months is probably about
3,500 residents.

The Main Event engine, tractor and mining show is sponsored by
the owner, Howard Armstrong, who has done an excellent job of
organizing, improving and enlarging this show each year for the
past fifteen years. There were 155 exhibitors of engines, tractors,
mining equipment, model trains and toys at this show on January
29-31, 1999. Included were approximately 300 engines and 30
tractors (of which two were ‘Power Horses’). The tractors
paraded on the 30th and 31st going through the entire Main Event
swap meet. There was one exception, however, as a 1924 Best 2 ton
crawler ran out of gas midway through the swap meet and had to drop
out. Show exhibitors arrived from all corners of North America and
many of our states were represented.

The largest engine was a 60 HP 1938 Fairbanks-Morse diesel,
owned by Rusty Relics #30 from Lancaster, California. There were
many impressive and well restored engines including the 25 HP
Superior, 1918 vintage, owned by Loyd & Cheryl Jones, Salmon,
Idaho. Another was the 20 HP 1921 Victory oil engine, owned by
Kelly Garcia and Bob Skinner of Whittier, California.

The Maytag fans, and even I, got a good laugh over the 1909
Maytag Air-o-plane. It however has been upgraded somewhere along
its historical path because it had a much later twin cylinder
engine installed behind the propeller. As for airworthiness, it has
some serious problems with burlap wings, tractor seats, hot water
bottle airspeed indicator, DuPont black powder can for fuel, and
evidence of problems like laundry and a dead chicken hanging off
the wings.

The model train exhibit is billed as the longest in the world at
125 feet long, with all gauges running, some around ponds with live
fish. The tent housing this display was enormous.

Other entertainment at the Main Event included airplane, glider,
and hot air balloon rides. Radio controlled model airplanes were
exhibited, one of which was a ‘Flying Lawnmower.’ This
model is not only difficult to explain but impossible to describe
how it flies, and it seems to defy the laws of aeronautics.

A smoke ring generator was ignited each evening as the air
became calm, with a very loud report, a ball of fire, and then the
biggest, blackest smoke ring ascending to the heavens.
Unfortunately, some visitors were still searching for their pets as
we were leaving on Monday.

It was a great show, a good time for all, with one small
exception. A few people are still looking for the person or persons
who blew the steam whistle at 6:00 a.m.

I think most of us came home with at least one new-found
treasure. We hope to see everyone back next year with more friends
and fellow collectors.

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