Old Thresher's Reunion

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This article needs additional citations for verification.
Please help improve this article by adding reliable references. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (June 2007)

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.

1 Permanent Exhibits
2 Reunion Venues
3 Map of the grounds
4 External links

[edit] Permanent Exhibits

The Heritage Museum is open year round, featuring a variety of exhibits that celebrate the rural heritage of the midwest. [1]

The Stationary steam engine exhibit features three of large Corliss engines as well as a number of smaller engines. [2]

The Midwest Electric Railway operates a trolley line around the reunion campground. A number of well restored trolleys operate on this line, representing cars from as far away as Rio de Janeiro and Milan as well as a number of cars from closer sources. [3] [4]

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 that formerly served logging railroads in the eastern United States and an German 0-4-0 built by Henschel & Son.[5] [6] In addition to operating during the reunion, the Midwest Central Railroad has public events connected to Independence Day, Halloween and Christmas. [7]

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.[8]

[edit] 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" 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, and LeAnn Rimes¹ have all performed on the Big Stage.