Old Iron

30 Years Ago
The Charter Oak Times
August 11, 1977

The 8th Annual Ricketts Steam and Antique Show was held August 5, 6, & 7, 1977. Mary Hennings, daughter of Mrs. Arlene Hennings, was crowned Queen at the variety show. Awards were given to Mrs. Bertha Friedrichsen, as the oldest person present; Mrs. Fern Baine of Hoquim, WA for traveling the farthest, and to Ericka Bishop, 4 month old daughter of Mr. and Mrs. D.L. Bishop of Sioux City, IA as the youngest person present.

Steam and Antique Shows

Steam engines from the turn of the century puffed there way around the prairies. No one in charge of the 75th Anniversary history book knew who was in this picture or when it was taken, only that it was on a farm around Ricketts.

Ricketts was known for decades for their famous Steam & Antique shows every summer. Missing the old iron plow horses? Here are a couple of links to help you get back into an old hobby:

Hans Schlosser is an ornamental blacksmith or gatesmith working on all sizes of wrought iron ornamental gates and railings and other items. He's also a mechanic and for those of you who just have to ask, yes he's a trained farrier with a preference for heavy draft horses. Gates and decorative work are his main focus along with draft horse shoeing and manufacturing heavy duty hardware and repairing machinery used with draft horses. He has a video out called "Fire & Roses." He demonstrates his work at a number of Steam and Antique shows in Iowa, here's his website: http://www.beautifuliron.com/steam_power.htm


Steam-Era is the annual show produced by the "Ontario Steam & Antique Preservers Association" held at the Milton fairgrounds in Milton Ontario, Canada every "Labour" Day weekend. Our members are devoted to the preservation and restoration of heritage equipment and bring their painstakingly restored machinery to display and operate at Steam- Era. Here's their website: http://www.steam-era.com
(They had the coolest website when I Googled "Steam & Antique.")

Got any other steam tractor sites you'd reccomend? Let our webmeister know.