Monday, August 31, 2009

Goessel, KS, Threshing Fair

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.
From Goessel Threshing Fair
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.
From Goessel Threshing Fair
From Goessel Threshing Fair
From Goessel Threshing Fair
From Goessel Threshing Fair
From Goessel Threshing Fair
There were demonstrations of harvesting and threshing;
From Goessel Threshing Fair
From Goessel Threshing Fair
From Goessel Threshing Fair
there was good Russian and German food to eat, and people to watch. We especially enjoyed the children.
From Goessel Threshing Fair
From Goessel Threshing Fair
From Goessel Threshing Fair
From Goessel Threshing Fair
From Goessel Threshing Fair
From Goessel Threshing Fair
From Goessel Threshing Fair
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.
From Goessel Threshing Fair
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.

6 comments:

  1. 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!

    Have Fun & Travel Safe
    Donna

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  2. Looks like it was an interesting fair. So much to see and so little time...

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  3. Wow! 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.

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  4. Them there big machines might have been the very Grandaddys of to-day's riding lawn mowers.

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  5. Interesting story, and I loved seeing the antique tractors.

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  6. Nice 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?
    Good readin ya bud, and thanks for your fine remarks on my Blog...

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