During the summer of 1984, Crown Point celebrated its sesquicentennial year. As part of that celebration, a group of area residents interested in the restoration and preservation of agricultural tools and machinery set up a working exhibit around the Lake County Court House Square. This led to the chartering of the South Lake County Agricultural Historical Society, Inc. later that year.
The purpose of our nonprofit organization is to preserve, restore and display antique farm tools and equipment, as well as old farmhouse items that are of interest or educational value to the general public. We display and use these items at our annual Antique Power and Steam Show at the Lake County Fairgrounds each July.
Our 330 members farm the club's 10 acres of land in rural Crown Point to provide the crops we use during the annual show. We use restored antique farm equipment to plant and harvest corn, wheat and soybeans.
Our monthly business meetings are held at 7 p.m. every second Monday of the month at the Crown Point Civic Center, 101 S. East St. We are always interested in welcoming new members to our organization.
During our annual Antique Power and Steam Show, our 1918 operating J. I. Case threshing machine harkens back to the days of the old-time threshing bees. The threshing machine takes the wheat shocks that were dried in the fields and separates the wheat kernels from the stalks, or straw. It's amazing how fast a huge pile of straw develops.
We also have two operating sawmills that will process a large log by trimming the bark off and then sawing it into usable pieces of lumber. A lot of sawdust is generated as well as scrap pieces of wood, which are used as fuel to heat water that is used by the engines to create steam to power the sawmills.
There also is an operating corn shredder that removes the ears of corn from the corn stalks that have been bundled into shocks in the farm fields for drying. The ears of corn are then put into a corn sheller to remove the corn kernels from the cob. This is a dusty and noisy operation.
There are more than 150 antique farm tractors and steam engines on display in like-new condition. Some of these engines are used to provide power to the operating exhibits at our show. They also will take part in the Parade of Power where owners show off their restoration efforts of these old antiques. There is a "Learn-To-Drive" a tractor area where visitors can actually drive one of these antique machines.
Also on display, as well as in operation, is a huge selection of small single-cylinder gas engines (commonly referred to as hit-and-miss engines). They power everything from old Maytag washing machines to water pumps. Some of the larger engines even power buzz saws and a few Rube Goldberg-style devices. These exhibitors are quite creative and ingenious in developing their displays and are well worth your time.
For children's entertainment, there is a petting zoo, pedal tractor pull, tractor train ride, moon jump and two large operating model railroads that always keeps the kids' eyes glued to the action.
This Antique Power and Steam Show takes a full day to view all of the displays and exhibits, which also include working blacksmiths, wood carvers, chain saw carving, horse shoeing, antique horse-drawn farming implements, restored garden tractors, and Letz mills that shell and grind corn into animal feed. Also, you will find an auction, food vendors, a large flea market and live entertainment.
The Saturday evening of the event, there is a grilled pork chop dinner with all the trimmings for $8.
For less than the cost of a movie, your family can spend an entire day stepping back in time. You can relax at historic Lake County Fairgrounds, enjoy live entertainment, keep the children busy and view the awesome farm.
Jim Burg is vice president of the South Lake County Agricultural Historical Society.
