613 Hawthorn Centralia, Missouri 65240-1711
What a show! The 19th annual Upper Peninsula Steam and Gas
Engine Association Show Labor Day weekend attracted people from out
of state as well as from all over the Upper Peninsula of
Michigan.
One of our exhibitors from Wisconsin brought twin Eagle
tractors, a 16-30 and a 20-40; another brought a Baker fan; another
from Florida brought his usual fine display of gas engines. And
there were more! More exhibitors, more flea market vendors, more
guests to express appreciation for the show.
Monday, Labor Day, was not good. The fog which had enveloped the
fairgrounds during the night turned into light drizzle and then to
rain. As the day wore on, only a trickle of people came through the
gate by noon. Those exhibitors traveling long distances decided to
call it quits, pack up and leave. Ah, but there were the
memories!
The memories of Friday evening,- of coming onto the fair grounds
at Escanaba and finding things well laid out and in hand; at
finding more tractors, steam engines, and gas engines on display
than in recent memory; of finding friendly and willing people ready
to help.
The memories of Saturday, when people streamed through the gate
to walk through the Agricultural Museum, and to wander through the
Steam and Gas Engine Village. The large steam traction engines and
OilPulls were ever popular. In the evening came the annual club
dinner which enabled all to make new friends and reflect upon past
friendships and to honor the deceased members who helped make the
show what it is today. After the meal we all got together for the
spark show giving young and old alike a chance to oooh and ahhh at
the awesome spectacle.
Memories of Sunday were spectacular, with the largest crowd ever
coming in waves, overflowing the parking areas to get a chance to
view the exhibits, attend the Fiddler’s Jamboree, and raid the
flea market. Not to mention the sawmill, threshing, shingle mill,
rock crushing, blacksmithing, and watching the spinning of thread
from llama hair to be woven into cloth. And there was still
more!
Who could forget the fairgrounds reverberating with the sounds
of the old circus calliope, and the taste of fresh roasted corn on
the cob steamed by the venerable Port Huron portable steam
engine?
The show may be over, still the memories will always be with us.
If you think last year’s show was good, just wait until we
celebrate our 20th anniversary this fall, on Labor Day weekend,
September 2, 3, & 4, 1995.
Come celebrate with us!
