Power Of The Past Antique Engine And Tractor Show Turns Back Pages At Ottawa This Weekend

The way farming used to be.

“That’s the 20^th annual Power of the Past Antique Engine And Tractor Show Friday, Saturday and Sunday, Sept. 12-13-14, at Forest park on north Locust in Ottawa,” announced Bob Stevanus, official of the Power of the Past Antique Engine and Tractor Association.

“The group started as a gathering of a handful of antique engine and tractor buffs in 1995. With nine members, Lewis Reed was our first president. Through the years, we have grown to nearly 400 members,” said Stevanus, adding that the Franklin County Convention and Visitor’s Bureau is cosponsoring the show.

“Our organization’s mission is to preserve the past, bring back the memories of days gone by, and create a learning experience for younger generations through demonstrations of equipment at various events throughout the year,” Stevanus related.       “One reason for starting the organization is that the Warner Manufacturing Company was located in Ottawa, until the early 1950s. Warner manufactured Ottawa engines, making Ottawa the perfect site for people to see the gas and horse-powered farm implements of the past” the enthusiast said.

“However, this show is much more than a gathering of gas engine and tractor enthusiasts, although those are pretty amazing when all of the engines are chugging at once,” he added.

“With the passage of time, many of our younger generation have never seen or experienced farm life in its heyday. We’re creating a learning experience with this event, where the future meets the past.    “We say to senior citizens in our community, come out and see the farm equipment of your youth. To the younger generation, we say observe an experience of a ‘pre-computer’ age. Everyone should see the Power of the Past,” Stevanus assured.      This year will feature John Deere tractors and engines. “There will be a drawing for a restored John Deere to given away during the show. So, don’t miss your chance to be a winner,” Stevanus declared.      “Transportation is to be provided for those with problems walking, but there will be no RV hookups available, and no alcohol allowed in the park,” Stevanus noted.

Kickoff is breakfast Friday morning, Sept. 12, with the national anthem at 8 o’clock, also on the early schedule for all three days.

Likewise, daily attractions from 10 o’clock, to dusk are live music, horse drawn rides, an antique planer, drag saw demonstrations, rock crushing, hay baling, feed grinding with horse teams, soap making, an operating saw mill, rope making, an operating cider press and homemade ice cream.

Highlight for many is the Parade of Power every day at 1 o’clock, with many of the display tractors and engines to be paraded around the show grounds.

There’ll be a free ham and bean supper Friday starting at 4 o’clock, until gone,

A kiddie tractor pull is Saturday morning at 9:30, and there will be a fund raising auction of donated merchandise beginning at 10:30. The garden tractor pull is at 2 o’clock, Saturday, when the Kiddie Corner is also to be open.

Always an attraction is the ladies skillet toss and shoe throw, Saturday at 3:30. Live music by The Odds & Ends Band is scheduled from 5 to 7 o’clock, Saturday evening.

Church begins at 8:30 Sunday morning with wrap-up of the big three days being the Parade of Power at 1 o’clock, Sunday.

Of interest to many, tractors and engines featured in the past have included Oliver-Hart Parr tractors and Fairbanks Morse engines, 2207; Allis Chalmers tractors and Maytag engines, 2008; Massey Harris tractors and Monitor engines, 2009; Ford tractors and Cushman engines, 2010; Case tractors and Witte engines, 2011; Minneapolis Moline tractors and Ottawa engines, 2012; and International Harvester Company (IHC) tractors and engines, 2013.

Upcoming shows are to feature Orphans and lesser-known tractors and engines, 2015; Oliver-Hart Parr tractors and Fairbanks Morse engines, 2016; Gathering of the Orange Allis Chalmers National Show and Maytag engines, 2017; and Massey Harris/Ferguson tractors and Monitor engines, 2018.

Details are available at www.powerofthepast.net, and www.visitottawakansas.com.