November 2021

Fall Show 2021

By Paul Harvey

That time again for an engine show!  But wasn’t it June just yesterday?  Nope, I see beautiful colored leaves and the days are so short.  So, CPM’s Fall Show is this coming week!  But the Show came and passed so very quickly!  Even though it’s now history, let me take a look back in time to glimpse a bit of the preparation and the show itself.  It was a memorable event!

So, on Sunday evening, what does a group of volunteers do for show preparation?  Yep, have a toasty bonfire, some good food, and sit back to reflect on the coming week.  A little bit of copper wire gave the flames some cheerful colors.  OK, we are now ready for the week.

Early Monday morning, Doug Fye and Troy Schoenly were busy extending the old air compressor shed to house at least three gas engines.  Long needed.  Doug has a plan!

The grounds opened at noon on Tuesday and a lot of attendees had set up by 2 p.m.  With the fantastic weather, everyone was happy.  Lookin’ good!

Flywheel Supply set up a large exhibit selling their wares.  I bought some little items to help with my projects this winter.

Tom Stockton displayed this little Sintz marine engine.  History available suggests it is before 1900!  Kieth Monnier took it home with him for a complete restoration and to add a flywheel.  It will be a great addition to the museum, complementing the stationary, four-cycle Clark Sintz displayed in the Machine Works Building.

Wednesday continued the sunny, warm, and lazy weather as the fields filled.  Jake Faith and John Hanley were so very busy keeping everyone happy with their locations.  Great job to both of you!  As I worked at the entrance gate I had the opportunity to greet and chat with all our incoming guests.  So pleasant to see all!  Old friends and new alike.

So many thanks to Stewart McKinley and Troy Schoenly who made the Gulf sign from the old Coolspring General Store spring to brilliant life again.  Placed at the corner of the Friends Exhibition Hall, it is very visible from a wide area.  This winter, the museum’s old gasoline pump will be restored in Gulf colors, a new globe will be added, and it will be placed beside the sign.  Can’t get much better!

Thursday morning and the first day of the show.  Weather tremendous!  Headed to the Food Court for my favorite breakfast done on Villella’s grill.  So good! Reminds me of the breakfasts my mother did on the old cast iron skillet when I was a kid.

  Enjoying the food, I could reflect on the view.  Happy people.  Peaceful atmosphere.  It would be a great show.

Still early in the day, the Bob Himes Ice Cream Shoppe was doing a great business.  Hmmm, sounds like a good breakfast!  Mark Himes, Marcie Craig, and all do a tremendous business for CPM, using the two New Holland engines.  We appreciate all your hard work.

As I headed to the admission gate, I saw the ambulance was already on duty.  Thanks, guys!  Supplied by Jefferson EMS, this is one service that we are happy NOT to be used!  To me, it’s great that medical help is on the grounds.

During my gate duty, I frequently use my Gator and help folks with heavy loads back to the parking areas.  On one such trip, I spotted this truck with Alaska license plates.  Wow, long trip!

Of course, the Summerville Volunteer Fire Department Fire Police always help arrange our parking.  With three separate areas, they do an excellent job, as well as display their beautiful Brush Truck.  Great job!

This great old International returned again.  I always enjoy seeing it, as it reminds me of the S 180 tandem with the 308 gas engine that I used to retrieve so many engines.  Looks great.

The blacksmith shop again provided a great show for all our visitors.  They even did a bit of bronze casting.  A very talented group.  Bill Lepley, to the right, built the shop and organized the display.  We certainly appreciate the great effort!

Mike Mercurie and others were diligent to get the problems with my Ball engine sorted out and had it running happily again.  Mike even devised a way to air start it, eliminating all the arduous hand cranking.  I was just mesmerized watching it.  Great job!  This kind of diligence is what makes CPM so special.

So, what more is there to see?  Plenty, and sadly not enough space here to show.  But, let’s look just a bit longer.

Noah Adams relaxes a bit as he supervises so many of the big engines running in Pat’s Place.  With his guidance and help from many others, Pat’s Place has turned into a fantastic display of operational large and unusual engines.  He keeps so many running to delight our visitors.  Great job.

Josh Frye, who borrowed two of my trucks for the Smicksburg Antique Tractor and Machinery Show, returned with this original B73 Mack in Gulf garb.  Stunning under the sign!

An interesting McEwen Brothers engine.  Hmmm, looks like a half breed, but has a McEwen frame!  Note the high cross head.  Seems that new mysteries always appear and that is the fun of the hobby.

Two newcomers to the John P. Wilcox Powerhouse were placed where other engines have been relocated.  Yep, constant change makes our displays more interesting to our visitors.

The first engine is a beautiful Alamo, originally saved by John.  Good to have it back home!  The one to the right is a unique Hagen built in Kentucky.  So many interesting motions and devices!  A treat to watch it run.

The show has come to a very successful end, and much clean up and winterization has been done.  Gosh, so quickly and so wonderfully.  By Saturday evening, the crew was fatigued and ready for a relaxing dinner.  Kevin Kusel prepared five gallons of scrumptious beef stew, along with so much other great food.  Mark Gotschall offered the invocation as all heads are bowed.  We have so much to be Thankful for.

As the sun sinks in the west, it imparts glorious colors and clouds to the east.  The end of a tremendous year for CPM, as it is also the end of a fantastic show.  We are satisfied and happy.  “The Heavens Declare the Glory of God,” Psalm 19.