Date/Time
Date(s) - 06/17/2017
12:00 pm - 5:00 pm
Location
Hesston Steam Museum
Categories
Father’s Day Weekend
Saturday, June 17, 2017 – Sunday, June 18, 2017
12:00PM – 5:00PM
Dads ride for a dollar with paid child. Antique Truck Show on Father’s Day sponsored by the American Truck Historical Society!
Traction engines were the main feature and provided most of the power. A sawmill was added in 1959, the electric plant in 1961, and the Browning crane in 1962.
Local Threshermen volunteers purchased a steam locomotive in 1964 from Elliott Donnelley of Lake Forest, IL, who took an interest in the accomplishments at Hesston. With his generous financial assistance, during 1965-1968, the remainder of our 155 acre site was purchased and a unique dual gauge (24″/36″) railroad was constructed. The La Porte County Historical Steam Society, Inc. was chartered as a not-for-profit organization on December 16, 1968 in La Porte County . In 1969, the IRS granted recognition as a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit corporation.
The SHAY locomotive restoration was completed and dedicated August 30, 1975. The full size railroad is of very rare narrow gauge equipment from many counties which was used to haul freight and/or passengers for commerce. Our largest locomotive is a Shay type that hauled logs out of the mountains in the West. The medium sized vintage Kiddieland railroad provided entertainment as part of small amusement parks from the 1920s through the 1970s.