Load em up! Tractor loading and unloading at the Half Century of Progress.

I liken it to a cattle drive with the cowboys hollering out, “Load em up,” or  “Unload em” only in this scenario, we are not talking about cows or horses, but the iron version, antique tractors. Tractors that is of all sizes, makes and models. At the Half Century of Progress, they came in droves, like a cattle drive and spread out across the show grounds.

While working on text for the show book for the Half Century of Progress (due out around Thanksgiving 2015, http://www.halfcenturyofprogress.com/news.htm) I noted the pictures of the loading and unloading.  It is a ballet, these machines moving on and off of the trailers.

Drivers were backing up and one or two were assisting with the  with amazing tractors like some of the huge, beautiful, Prairie tractors, those big gas tractors that would eventually replace steam.  George Schaaf brought his 1913 Pioneer tractor, his 1924 Minneapolis Moline Threshing 35-70, 40 Cross Motor Case and his 1913  Hart Parr.  In all cases, the tractor is almost as wide as the trailer.

Another amazing machine is this turn of the century tractor like no other with all of the weight right on front. This looks like an early motorized bicycle and was a predecessor to later Allis Chalmers

Tractors were not the only items loaded and unloaded.  There was a lot of plowing and harvesting going on at this historic event. Keith and I held ourt breath when this combine with the corn head was loaded up to head home.

The Half Century of Progress brought hundreds of machines and thousands of people to enjoy old machinery sitting static and working in the fields.  Kudos to those that took the time to “load em up” and “move em out” for our viewing pleasure!