Old Steam and Gas Club holds 53rd Annual Show

ZANESVILLE, Ohio — The Old Steam and Gas Club is holding their Annual Show this weekend in conjunction with the Colony Square Mall Show.

For the 53rd consecutive year, the club will display antique tractors, farm equipment, small and stationary engines, antique tools, and more. The show has 81 displays in total, with a few new featured items in 2017.

“Every year we feature a different tractor– this particular year it’s Farmall/International. Our garden tractor feature this year is the Wheel Horse, and then our engine feature is the McCormick Deering Engine, and we’ve got a couple of those here on display as well,” Brad McCune, President of the Old Steam and Gas Club.

While McCune says every item on display is interesting and unique in its own right, there is one particular item everyone should be sure to stop by and see.

“We have a gentleman in our club whose got an old truck back here in the display, and he said he received that for Christmas 86 years ago as a kid. Trucks that kids receive today, they don’t last 86 days let alone 86 years, so that’s quite a neat piece to stop by and take a look at,” McCune added.

In addition to the displays throughout the week, on Saturday afternoon there will be multiple activities scheduled for show visitors as well. At 12 p.m. one member of the club will be doing a homemade soap demonstration, in addition to some other games for both kids and adults. Then at 2 p.m. there will be a pedal pull for kids between the ages of 3-10; it’s free and open to anyone that wants to participate.

McCune says collection of antique tractor and farm equipment is a big attraction all across the country. Even though direct participation in agriculture today has diminished, many people, especially in our communities, have family members that were farmers or worked in agriculture in some fashion and that connection fuels the fascination with these items.

The Annual Show is being held May 1- May 7 and displays can be viewed during normal mall hours at the Colony Square Mall.