We’ve been hanging pretty close to home these days, but we’re reading a lot of blogs. Rick, our friend from Cowichan Bay, BC, showed us pictures of a local fair he attended with his granddaughter Mikayla. That reminded us of the old time fair we attended in Goessel, Kansas in August, 2003.
The site was a Mennonite Cultural Center and Heritage Museum.
The event was a harvest and threshing fair; the highpoint of the day was the Parade of Power, in which antique tractors and other farm equipment, some powered by steam, thundered along between rows of onlookers. It was a long parade, and we were lucky enough to get front row bales of hay to sit on. Here are a few of the machines that used to contribute to feeding the world. To enlarge a picture, click on it; to return, hit the back arrow at the top of your screen.
There were demonstrations of harvesting and threshing;
there was good Russian and German food to eat, and people to watch. We especially enjoyed the children.
The town of Goessel, KS, was named for a German ship captain, Kurt von Goessel, who lost his life at sea. This high school history teacher from the town had done extensive research into von Goessel, and presented his findings at this fair. The painting is based on newspaper stories of the time. It was known that von Goessel had red hair, a blond beard, and blue eyes; other details were assumed or interpreted.
It was a good day early on in … Our Life on Wheels. To see more of our day,
click here to go to our web album about the Goessel Threshing Fair.
As always, we appreciate your comments. You can use the comments box below, or feel free to send us an email.
Wow these photos were excellent... It looked like so much fun and I know Ralph would just love that. We ran into an old tractor show in Iowa last year too... They are always fun to watch. Have a great day!
ReplyDeleteHave Fun & Travel Safe
Donna
Looks like it was an interesting fair. So much to see and so little time...
ReplyDeleteWow! Those are some pretty impressive looking old machines - some big monsters too! Different times back then for sure. Thanks for posting all the pics - I really enjoyed seeing them and hearing about Goessel, KS.
ReplyDeleteThem there big machines might have been the very Grandaddys of to-day's riding lawn mowers.
ReplyDeleteInteresting story, and I loved seeing the antique tractors.
ReplyDeleteNice job Jerry!! I like old cars, pickup trucks, little baby ducks and tractors, trains, motorcycles, old guys and old girls. Shucks I like everything OLD!!! maybe cause I'm OLH,,,huh?
ReplyDeleteGood readin ya bud, and thanks for your fine remarks on my Blog...