Recalling Bygone Times
By Mark A. Corson
9374 Roosevelt Street, Crown Point, Indiana 46307
Mark Corson of 9374 Roosevelt Street, Crown Point, IN 46307, sent us the picture of Konnie Kuiper's A. D. Baker engine as seen at the South Lake County Agricultural Historical Society show held last July.
The 11th annual South Lake County Agricultural Society Antique Power & Steam Show was held early in July, 1995. By Thursday evening many of the exhibitors had made the trip to the grounds with their tractors, equipment and displays.
The special feature of the year was equipment of Minneapolis Threshing Machine Company, Minneapolis-Moline, Twin City, and A. B. Avery. Three of the steam traction engines included: Denise Christiansen's 28 Minneapolis; the Falkenberg family's 24 Minneapolis; and John Harbeck's 20 Minneapolis.
Also on hand were Konnie Kuiper's A. D. Baker , the Falkenbergs' Keck Gonnerman; Arland Koopman with his scale Avery; and Breisacher with his scale Peerless.
Two threshing machines, a sawmill, dragsaw, shingle mill, displays of corn shelling and grinding, blacksmithing, a kiddie tractor pull and a petting zoo were among the displays and activities.
Tom Runty was on hand to play the National Anthem before Saturday's Parade of Equipment. Carl Park and the Winamac Old Auto Club lined up a number of cars and trucks for the weekend, and Sunday's auto parade that toured the show grounds.
The rain on Sunday afternoon brought clusters of exhibitors and visitors huddling for shelter. In a short time, however, the gloom of the rain passed and activities picked up again with hardly a beat lost.
Special thanks go out to all exhibitors and workers who helped in all areas of the show, before, during and after! The 12th annual show of the South Lake County Agricultural Historical Society, Inc. will be held July 12, 13, 14, 1996 and will feature the "Lesser Known Classics."