American Thresherman Association 64th Anniversary and Counting

we make outdoor apple butter in our big copper kettle!” She continues, “As it was in the ‘olden days,’ everything is saved and used for some purpose!”

Also in the center ring, adjacent to the sawmill is the shingle mill where they cut cedar logs into shingles. You’ll be able to pick up a couple of shingles to take home and enjoy the aroma of the cedar! Next in line is the veneer mill, and it is also powered by a steam engine. Huge logs are pinned into the arbor and the massive blade shaves off thin sheets of the wood! These thin sheets of wood were used to make berry and vegetable baskets long ago. The show is very lucky to also have two or three local blacksmiths set up “shop” and demonstrate their talents during the show. Baker fans and a Dynamometer are also available for exhibitors to hook up and test their tractor and steam engine horsepower. A couple of years “new”, we now have a grist mill in the center ring, near the saw mill and it cranks out fresh, whole-wheat flour every day with a huge stone mill! Be sure to check it out while you are here.

In the north and northwest areas of the center ring are where they also have the gas tractor and related equipment on display and a brand new dedicated area for lawn tractors and their equipment. Adjacent to the center ring area, north of the racetrack, is the new stationary steam shed that houses many stationary engines! It is a work in progress and will be partially up and running for the 2019 show, so make sure to meander over there and see the big engines chug!

Don’t forget to get tickets and get a seat in the grandstand or bleachers for the first night of special 3-day ITPA sanctioned pulls!! This year we are celebrating the 53rd Year of the Illinois Tractor Pulling Association at The American Thresherman Association show! There will be special exhibition pulls each night before the regular pulls begin, so get to your seat early! There is sure to be a lot of reminiscing going on this year watching some of the antique tractors and the older gentlemen who have been pulling them for years!

Friday morning will begin with bluegrass music beginning at 12 p.m. and will continue throughout the day until around 5:30 p.m., or whenever the fingers can’t pick anymore, fiddles won’t fiddle and the bass refuses to walk. Check out more in the music section of this year’s book for times and muscian information. Then, on Friday night at 7 p.m. the ATA sponsors the Illinois Tractor Puller Association (ITPA) second night of sanctioned pulls with several different classes sure to make the ground tremble with some of the best AA modified pulling tractors in the Midwest.

Saturday morning at 10 a.m. brings on the always-packed pedal tractor pull for kids up to age 12 at the basketball court in the center ring. Make sure to get there early to get a good seat. In addition to these Saturday morning activities, bluegrass music will return with four more bands performing throughout the day. Saturday night again features ITPA with the AA Pro-Stock who pull some of the best of the powerhouse tractors in the area. Come watch them battle it out in front of the grandstand! On both nights of the tractor pulls, tickets are sold for a 50/50, so be sure and take a chance or 10!

Sunday morning everyone takes time out to have a worship and memorial service at 8 a.m. Please join members of the Thresherman Association in the Steam Shed to participate in this important and meaningful service. Music is provided by Brothers and Others every year and is always a joy to hear and sing along!

On Sunday there is also one of the best outdoor, true antique car shows and swap meets! The Egyptian Antique Auto Club sponsors it. Registration begins at 8 a.m. and there are 21 classes. This year the show is featuring Chevrolet Corvair. Judging takes place at 1 p.m. and Trophies are awarded at 3 p.m.

Continuing this year, for Sunday, will be the Antique Tractor Pulls starting at 10 a.m., so be sure to stick around and finish out the show with some good old antique tractor fun!

Along with these special events, there will also be daily attractions and demonstrations. Some attractions include: steam and tractor powered plowing, wheat threshing, animal teams, wood veneering, saw and shingle milling, grist milling (whole wheat flour will be available!), blacksmithing, baker fans, miniature model displays, various tractor activities, a special lawn and garden tractor (and equipment) area, a large flea market, and stationary gas and steam engines. There is something going on all the time during our show! Lots of good food, big, old shade trees and plenty of Southern Illinois hospitality! There is a large flea market that is always growing, and many vendors under the grandstand, so make sure to take some time to browse the many antiques and items up for sale.

Parking is free as always, and the grounds admission is $7 and children under 12 are free. There is an additional fee for the nightly shows, but children 6 and under are free.

A little bit of history to be shared of some past years...And on into the future!

2003: Massey-Harris

2004: Oliver Hart-Parr. On display was the Hart-Parr #3 and IH-C turbine tractor (both tractors were in the Smithsonian and on loan to us). Much fanfare with a tractor caravan from Sigel to Pinckneyville to bring these tractors to town!

2005: Minneapolis-Moline

2006: John Deere. Walter Keller’s GP Wide Tread Experimental on display. Another tractor caravan from Sigel!

2007: International JI Case Heritage Foundation Show. Helen Case Brigham, granddaughter of JI Case was in attendance! This group is returning in 2015. We registered over 800 tractors, 200 gas engines and 18 steam engines, one team of mules, 6 teams of horses and one stagecoach! Our paid attendance was over 7,000 over 4 days of 100+ degree temperatures! (IT IS August remember!).

2008: National Sears-Graham Bradley Collectors was the host club, Allis-Chalmers and Rumely also featured.

2009: 50th Anniversary of the American Thresherman Association. Featured: International Harvester. We planned a special exhibit of at least fifty 560’s to celebrate the 50th year of the 560 and exceeded our goal by getting 87 tractors on the grounds! 10,000 paid admissions over the 4 days,