Old Thresher's Reunion
Encyclopedia
The Midwest Old Thresher's Reunion was started in 1950 and has taken place every Labor Day
weekend since in the small town of Mt. Pleasant, Iowa. Over 100,000 visitors from all over the World flood this tiny town of about 10,000 for a week long celebration which pays tribute to antique agricultural equipment.
Old Thresher's Reunion, as an event, attracts visitors from around the world, attracted by both the permanent exhibits on the reunion grounds and by the collections of antique and steam powered equipment brought to the show by other visitors.
that celebrate the rural heritage of the midwest. http://www.oldthreshers.org/index.cfm?fuseaction=page.heritageMuseum
The Stationary steam engine
exhibit features three of large Corliss engines
as well as a number of smaller engines.
http://www.stubert.info/steam.html
The Midwest Electric Railway
operates a trolley line around the reunion campground. A number of well restored Iowa trolleys operate on this line, including Waterloo Car 381, the last trolley to operate in public service in Iowa and Car 9 from the Albia Interurban Line. MERA also operates Car 320, a beautiful wooden interurban from the Chicago Aurora and Elgin line in IL. Additional favorite cars come from as far away as Rio de Janeiro, Brazil and Milan, Italy.
http://www.oldthreshers.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=page.midwestElectricRailway&pageNo=1http://web.presby.edu/~jtbell/transit/MtPleasant/MERM/
http://davesrailpix.com/odds/ia/htm/merm01.htm
The Midwest Central Railroad
operates a 3-foot gauge Narrow gauge railway around the reunion exhibit area. This railroad features a 3-truck Shay locomotive
from the West Side Lumber Company railway
. Other engines include two 2-6-0 Baldwin
engines (one having a recently updated boiler and the other undergoing extensive rework) that formerly served logging railroads in the eastern United States and a German 0-4-0 built by Henschel & Son
. For routine operations, there are two Plymouth Locomotive Works
diesel switch engines and a Vulcan Iron Works
gasoline switch engine. http://www.mcrr.org/
http://web.presby.edu/~jtbell/transit/MtPleasant/MCRR/ In addition to operating during the reunion, the Midwest Central Railroad has public
events connected to Independence Day, Halloween
and Christmas
. http://www.mcrr.org/PAGES/events.html
The Hazel Grace Pierson Carousel Pavilion houses a beautiful fully restored antique carousel
. "The Smile Machine" is powered by a Herschell-Spillman steam engine that dates back over a century. The carousel includes a Military Band Organ, as well as the usual rocking horses.http://www.stubert.info/carosel.html
Every night of the reunion week week there are two main events. In the early evening the Theatre Museum puts on an old "Toby and Susie" Toby Tolliver
play from the Schaffner Players
and at night there is a concert in the pavilion. Acts such as Minnie Pearl
, Leroy Van Dyke
, Tammy Wynette
, George Strait
, Johnny Cash
& June Carter, Kenny Rogers
, Brad Paisley
, Terri Clark
, Willie Nelson
and LeAnn Rimes
1 have all performed on the Big Stage.
Labor Day
Labor Day is a United States federal holiday observed on the first Monday in September that celebrates the economic and social contributions of workers.-History:...
weekend since in the small town of Mt. Pleasant, Iowa. Over 100,000 visitors from all over the World flood this tiny town of about 10,000 for a week long celebration which pays tribute to antique agricultural equipment.
Old Thresher's Reunion, as an event, attracts visitors from around the world, attracted by both the permanent exhibits on the reunion grounds and by the collections of antique and steam powered equipment brought to the show by other visitors.
Permanent Exhibits
The Heritage Museum is open year round, featuring a variety of exhibitsthat celebrate the rural heritage of the midwest. http://www.oldthreshers.org/index.cfm?fuseaction=page.heritageMuseum
The Stationary steam engine
Stationary steam engine
Stationary steam engines are fixed steam engines used for pumping or driving mills and factories, and for power generation. They are distinct from locomotive engines used on railways, traction engines for heavy steam haulage on roads, steam cars , agricultural engines used for ploughing or...
exhibit features three of large Corliss engines
Corliss Steam Engine
A Corliss steam engine is a steam engine, fitted with rotary valves and with variable valve timing patented in 1849, invented by and named after the American engineer George Henry Corliss in Providence, Rhode Island....
as well as a number of smaller engines.
http://www.stubert.info/steam.html
The Midwest Electric Railway
Midwest Electric Railway
The Midwest Electric Railway is a non-profit trolley operation located on the grounds of the Midwest Old Threshers Reunion in Mt. Pleasant, Iowa...
operates a trolley line around the reunion campground. A number of well restored Iowa trolleys operate on this line, including Waterloo Car 381, the last trolley to operate in public service in Iowa and Car 9 from the Albia Interurban Line. MERA also operates Car 320, a beautiful wooden interurban from the Chicago Aurora and Elgin line in IL. Additional favorite cars come from as far away as Rio de Janeiro, Brazil and Milan, Italy.
http://www.oldthreshers.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=page.midwestElectricRailway&pageNo=1http://web.presby.edu/~jtbell/transit/MtPleasant/MERM/
http://davesrailpix.com/odds/ia/htm/merm01.htm
The Midwest Central Railroad
Midwest Central Railroad
The Midwest Central Railroad is a narrow gauge heritage railroad operating on the grounds of the Midwest Old Thresher's Reunion in Mount Pleasant, Iowa....
operates a 3-foot gauge Narrow gauge railway around the reunion exhibit area. This railroad features a 3-truck Shay locomotive
Shay locomotive
The Shay locomotive was the most widely used geared steam locomotive. The locomotives were built to the patents of Ephraim Shay, who has been credited with the popularization of the concept of a geared steam locomotive...
from the West Side Lumber Company railway
West Side Lumber Company railway
The West Side Lumber Company railway was the last of the gauge narrow gauge logging railways operating in the American west.- Narrow gauge :- Standard gauge :...
. Other engines include two 2-6-0 Baldwin
Baldwin Locomotive Works
The Baldwin Locomotive Works was an American builder of railroad locomotives. It was located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, originally, and later in nearby Eddystone, Pennsylvania. Although the company was very successful as a producer of steam locomotives, its transition to the production of...
engines (one having a recently updated boiler and the other undergoing extensive rework) that formerly served logging railroads in the eastern United States and a German 0-4-0 built by Henschel & Son
Henschel & Son
Henschel & Son was a German company, situated in Kassel, best known during the 20th century as a maker of transportation equipment, including locomotives, trucks, buses and trolleybuses, and armoured fighting vehicles and weapons....
. For routine operations, there are two Plymouth Locomotive Works
Plymouth Locomotive Works
Plymouth Locomotive Works was a US builder of small railroad locomotives. All Plymouth locomotives were built in a plant in Plymouth, Ohio until 1997 when the company was purchased by Ohio Locomotive Crane and production moved to Bucyrus, Ohio in 1999...
diesel switch engines and a Vulcan Iron Works
Vulcan Iron Works
Since Vulcan was the Roman god of fire and smithery, the name was an obvious choice for an iron foundry or mechanical engineering works in the nineteenth century, both in England, the birthplace of the Industrial Revolution, and in the United States.-England:...
gasoline switch engine. http://www.mcrr.org/
http://web.presby.edu/~jtbell/transit/MtPleasant/MCRR/ In addition to operating during the reunion, the Midwest Central Railroad has public
events connected to Independence Day, Halloween
Halloween
Hallowe'en , also known as Halloween or All Hallows' Eve, is a yearly holiday observed around the world on October 31, the night before All Saints' Day...
and Christmas
Christmas
Christmas or Christmas Day is an annual holiday generally celebrated on December 25 by billions of people around the world. It is a Christian feast that commemorates the birth of Jesus Christ, liturgically closing the Advent season and initiating the season of Christmastide, which lasts twelve days...
. http://www.mcrr.org/PAGES/events.html
The Hazel Grace Pierson Carousel Pavilion houses a beautiful fully restored antique carousel
Carousel
A carousel , or merry-go-round, is an amusement ride consisting of a rotating circular platform with seats for riders...
. "The Smile Machine" is powered by a Herschell-Spillman steam engine that dates back over a century. The carousel includes a Military Band Organ, as well as the usual rocking horses.http://www.stubert.info/carosel.html
Reunion Venues
During the show, the village and train station at Snipe Run on the north side of the reunion grounds is an active place, as is the log village at the south end of the trolley line. Major exhibit areas are reserved for small Steam Engines, steam traction engines, Gas Engines, crafts, food, and demonstrations to look at how things were done in the days of old. At noon every day of the reunion, there is a parade of power, where all the operating steam and gas traction engines parade by the grandstand.Every night of the reunion week week there are two main events. In the early evening the Theatre Museum puts on an old "Toby and Susie" Toby Tolliver
Toby Tolliver
Toby Tolliver was a character in the "Toby and Susie Show," a long-running show in early 20th-century American traveling theatre.He was largely a Midwest product. His prototype is found everywhere in America, but is most closely identified with the tall corn and cotton country...
play from the Schaffner Players
Schaffner Players
The Schaffner Players was a traveling theatre group that performed in the Midwest Opera Houses, in traveling tent shows, and later on the radio for 72 years....
and at night there is a concert in the pavilion. Acts such as Minnie Pearl
Minnie Pearl
Sarah Ophelia Colley Cannon , known professionally as Minnie Pearl, was an American country comedienne who appeared at the Grand Ole Opry for more than 50 years and on the television show Hee Haw from 1969 to 1991.-Early life:Sarah Colley was born in Centerville, in Hickman County, Tennessee,...
, Leroy Van Dyke
Leroy Van Dyke
Leroy Frank Van Dyke is an American country music singer best known for his hits, "The Auctioneer" and "Walk On By" .-Biography:...
, Tammy Wynette
Tammy Wynette
Virginia Wynette Pugh, known professionally as Tammy Wynette , was an American country music singer-songwriter and one of the genre's best-known artists and biggest-selling female vocalists....
, George Strait
George Strait
George Harvey Strait is an American country music singer, actor, and music producer. Strait is referred to as the "King of Country," and critics call Strait a living legend. He is known for his unique style of western swing music, bar-room ballads, honky-tonk style, and fresh yet traditional...
, Johnny Cash
Johnny Cash
John R. "Johnny" Cash was an American singer-songwriter, actor, and author, who has been called one of the most influential musicians of the 20th century...
& June Carter, Kenny Rogers
Kenny Rogers
Kenneth Donald "Kenny" Rogers is an American singer-songwriter, photographer, record producer, actor, and entrepreneur...
, Brad Paisley
Brad Paisley
Brad Douglas Paisley is an American singer-songwriter and musician. His style crosses between traditional country music and Southern rock, and his songs are frequently laced with humor and pop culture references....
, Terri Clark
Terri Clark
Terri Lynn Sauson , known professionally as Terri Clark, is a Canadian country music artist who has had success in both Canada and the United States. Signed to Mercury Records in 1995, she released her self-titled debut that year...
, Willie Nelson
Willie Nelson
Willie Hugh Nelson is an American country music singer-songwriter, as well as an author, poet, actor, and activist. The critical success of the album Shotgun Willie , combined with the critical and commercial success of Red Headed Stranger and Stardust , made Nelson one of the most recognized...
and LeAnn Rimes
LeAnn Rimes
LeAnn Rimes is an American country/pop singer. She is known for her rich vocals and her rise to fame as an eight-year-old champion on the original Ed McMahon version of Star Search, followed by the release of the Patsy Cline-intended single "Blue" when Rimes was only age 13, resulting in her...
1 have all performed on the Big Stage.
Map of the grounds
External links
- Old Thresher's Homepage (identical to http://www.oldthreshers.com/)
- Midwest Central Railroad
- Midwest Electric Home Page at oldthreshers.org
- Stuart Seedorff's web page on the reunion
- Jon Bell's photos of the Midwest Electric Railway on the reunion grounds
- Jon Bell's photos of the Midwest Central Railroad on the reunion grounds