Pontiac’s Threshermen’s Park was once again home to the 75th Annual Central State’s Threshermen’s Reunion over the Labor Day weekend. This year the threshermen also hosted the 37th Annual J. I. Case Heritage Expo as part of the reunion.
A thresher is a machine that is used to separate grain from the straw for crops like wheat, oats barley or rye. A similar machine is used for corn called a sheller. In the past wheat was a major crop in Illinois but today threshers are largely used for soybeans.
“This is our 75th anniversary,” said Dave Herz, president of the Central State’s Threshermen. “It started in 1948 with just the threshing show then in 49 they put together a more of a complete kind of show. Eventually it got to the point where it is now. We had over 500 tractors this year.”
The Threshermen’s Reunion is the second oldest steam show in the U.S. The first two shows were held in Chautauqua Park. In 1951 the show moved to 4-H Park. In 1986 the show moved from 4-H Park to its current location, 40 acres of ground north of Pontiac on Route 23.
The threshermen like to call their reunion a working show.
“There is something going on from nine o’clock in the morning through five o’clock at night, said Herz, “Whether it’s our sawmill running or field demonstrations. We cut our wheat to thresh and that takes place twice a day. We have enough corn to pick and we have a new corn crib this year so we were able to pick the ear of corn and then put it into the crib and shell out of that.”
The J.I. Case Heritage Foundation began in 1987 with the goal of promoting and preserving Case items and agricultural heritage. In addition to maintaining, restoring and exhibiting old farm machinery, members also restore and exhibit Case scale replicas and toys.
J. I. Case has been around for 181 years, according Stanley Borton, a new board member with the Heritage Foundation. That makes case one of the longest farm equipment manufacturers in the world. J.I. Case started the firm with a threshing machine. The company originated in Racine, Wisconsin.
“There are quite a number of shows throughout the mid-west,” said Hertz. “I think they are starting to gain more popularity as grandfathers and fathers start to phase it out some and the sons and grandsons are starting to be part of the collectors group per se and the hobby. So it’s starting to grow. We are starting here to get another generation started.”
Chris Erickson, of Odell Illinois had a 1917 Wood Brothers steam engine on display. He and his dad bought it in 2004.
Now Chris’s stepson Max is learning by working on it with him. Max cleans the machine and parts like its flues, firebox, ashpan. He is also learning to run the injectors. Max appreciates how it runs differently from a gas engine and likes spending the time with his stepdad.
Threshermen’s Park also has a new museum, the Alvin H. Imke Jr. Farm Museum. The museum was donated by Elaine Imke in memory of her late husband, whom she referred to as Henry. The museum features their lifetime collection of agricultural items.
Alvin Imke passed in Sept. 2022. Previous to his death he let Elaine know that he would would like the collection to stay together and would like it to go to the threshermen. He left the details up to Elaine whom he called “Chicky”.
In January Elaine contacted a builder and by August the museum was up and running.
Among many other items the museum features rug beaters, ice tongs, hay forks, hay carriers, horse bits, and yard sticks.
According to Elaine, Henry began collecting the yard sticks by category’s such as furniture stores, funeral homes, grain elevators and what not.
“He loved his yardsticks,” Imke said.
