Robert Redford’s TRACTOR

By Staff
Published on February 1, 1988
1 / 3
The rare 1919 Fiat.
The rare 1919 Fiat.
2 / 3
'Bump' chats with Margaret Lestz amidst his large collection.
'Bump' chats with Margaret Lestz amidst his large collection.
3 / 3
The 'Robert Redford' 8-16 tractor.
The 'Robert Redford' 8-16 tractor.

A tractor used in Robert Red-ford’s move, ‘The
Natural’, can be seen by visitors to the Tired Iron Tractor
Museum operated by Wayne ‘Bump’ Hamilton and his family at
Cuylerville, NY, three miles west of Geneseo.

The tractor is a 1924 International 8-16, with a grey body. If
you haven’t seen the movie, catch it when you read the next ad
for it. If you miss the movie, you can see the tractor and a lot
more at the Hamilton showplace.

‘Bump’ is obviously a collector, and the collection grew
so big that it needed special housing. We visited it when there
were no other guests, so we were able to receive a conducted tour
and see it all. Every collector should see it.

Bob Feller, the retired big league pitching great, had been
there the day before we arrived, so we felt we were walking in
large footsteps.

A 1919 Fiat tractor, the only complete one in the world, shares
top billing with the engine from ‘The Natural’. It was made
in Torino. Hamilton notes that the company later merged with
Hesston in Kansas.

A total of ninety antique tractors is shown in an array that is
probably one of the largest privately owned groups in the East.
‘Bump’ is a big admirer of Oscar Cooke, who owns
Oscar’s Dreamland in Montana, and told us he enjoyed the
article we wrote about Oscar.

In addition to tractors, you can see a 1930 Model A Ford truck,
a 1925 American LaFrance fire truck and a 1937 Linn half track.

Hamilton reminisces that Barney Old field was given a ticket for
exceeding the speed limit in a small Indiana town. ‘He was
probably going ten or fifteen miles an hour,’ Hamilton
estimates. ‘He raced tractors at forty MPH.’

Unusual items include a foot pedal milking machine of 1885; an
1875 wooden water pipe made in Geneseo, and an apparatus for oiling
a pig’s stomach.

There are 400 old wrenches, twenty-five pieces of horse-drawn
equipment, 180 farm toys (some old and some new), ninety cast iron
seats, gas pumps, gas and oil cans, lots of signs and many other
souvenirs of days gone by.

Mrs. Hamilton (Katherine) helped prepare and assemble the
kitchen exhibition, which reminds the ladies how much time
they’re saving today with modern equipment and appliances. On
exhibit are two bath tubs that long preceded the fancy arrangements
of today; a sewing machine, a stove and a wringer/washer.

Roger and Randy, the couple’s sons, and daughter Sandra
assist with museum work. Sandy paints names on radiators.

Many of the things shown are puzzlers. One of these looks like
something drawn by a horse, and has two seats on a platform.
‘Bump’ points to a blade and notes, ‘This was a corn
cutter, with two guys on the seats’.

‘Bump’ started the collection in 1960, and in 1974
erected a barn to keep the engines under cover. Everything
continues to expand. The museum is open every Sunday between 10
a.m. and 6 p.m. from May through October, or by appointment. Their
telephone number is (716)382-3110.

Online Store Logo
Need Help? Call 1-866-624-9388