A Case for Case!

Every year in Greenville, Illinois at the American Farm Heritage Museum grounds there is an annual tractor show. This year Sheppard and Case  tractors were the featured brands.  Keith and I stopped in on our way out-of-town and we enjoyed seeing some beautiful tractors.

Under the Sheppard tent was a very cool ad for a diesel tractor on display.  I love the slogan, on the advertisement, “The Big Power You Need at an Operating Cost You Can Afford.”

That pretty much said it all!

While I liked all the tractors, one of my favorite Case tractors was a pretty little VAIW tug.  The little beauty was owned by Jim Voyles of Ava,Missouri.

I didn’t talk to Jim, but the information on his tractor said that the tractor was used in a boat yard on the Hudson River in New York State. What fascinating history!

Inside the featured building there were turn of the century Case tractors that made you stop and go Ahhhhhh!

One lovely  Crossmotor 1918 Case 9-18 was owned by Delwin, Laurel and Jeff Van Zante of Otley, Iowa.  Delwin shared with me that this tractor has been in his family for three generations.  “My grandfather bought this in 1920, about the same year my dad was born.”

”He bought this used off a local dealership,” Delwin said. “About the mid-nineties we decided to restore it.”

The Case restoration was completed in  1998.  It is one of the tractors that runs on kerosene.  It is 100 years old this year.  The tractor was manufactured in Racine, Wisconsin where all the early Case tractors were made.

In the building was an amazing white Case tractor with a sign that said, “Queen of the Flaumbeau Fleet” .  According to information next to the tractor provided by owner Dan Jacobs, this tractor was believed to be one of two Model 500’s painted white,   with several parts chromed.

In front of the “Queen” was a majestic Case Eagle that spent its life at a dealership in Fayette County Illinois.  Next the Eagle went on to hold a mail box.  The current owner negotiated 25 years with the former owner before finally buying this treasure.

We also saw a beautiful Case car and more.  This show surely made a Case for the Case tractor and reminded me of the beauty of the brand!