The Half Century of Progress, which bills itself as the "premier vintage farm show in the U.S.," celebrated its 10th anniversary Aug. 24-27 in Rantoul, at the former Chanute Air Force Base, now the Rantoul Municipal Airport. The event shows visitors "what farming was like 50 years ago." The theme this year was "Heritage Tractors," reflecting on the family aspect of tractors that have been passed down through the family. Sentimental moments reigned, like the family 806 Farmall tribute to Melvin Miles, who died last October. "Today would have been our 62nd anniversary," his wife, Sara, said about her late husband. The two resided in rural Potomac, Illinois
Melvin bought the 806 new in 1963 at the Jack W. Prillaman International Harvester Dealership in Potomac, just two years after their marriage. The two were married Aug. 26, 1961.
Derek Harms is one of the sons of the late Darius Harms from rural Flatville. Darius was one of the founders of the Half Century of Progress. The Harms family displayed its 1947 International Harvester M, which was purchased by Derek's grandpa, Wilke Harms.
Each morning at 8 a.m. the show began with the raising of the Big Flag, the largest flying American flag, accompanied by the singing of the National anthem. The anthem is repeated at 1 p.m. just before the daily parade. Dan Berg and Dave Waters – known as the I & I Boys because of their connection to the I & I Antique Tractor and Gas Engine Club – sang the anthem on the weekend days of the show.
Neal Lambert of Gastonia, North Carolina, oversaw the Big Flag for his organization, a nonprofit called the United States Veterans of America, which helps to feed veterans, find housing and provide transportation to hospitals and health care appointments. The Big Flag, hauled to events in a trailer, measures a whopping 65 feet x 125 feet when flying from two cranes as it did at the Half Century show.
Two major events took place in the 2023 Half Century of Progress. One was "100 Years of Farmall." The Farmall model was introduced in 1923. The goal was to get 100 Farmalls to the Half Century, one for every year that a Farmall was made. Rollie Moore, who coordinated the event that brought a Farmall from every year of production, said the idea began two years ago with famed broadcaster Max Armstrong. "We wondered what year the International Harvester would celebrate 100 years. We came up with the idea for 2023 of having 100 Farmalls, one for every year that a Farmall was made."
While International Harvester, which made Farmall, ceased to exist in May of 1985, the farm equipment company was purchased by Tenneco, which owned Case. At the show, organizers added tractors produced by the brand now known as Case IH, going all the way up to a new 2023 model.
While it was easy to find the late 1920s tractors and forward, the earliest ones, and the newest ones, were more challenging. With tractors from Tennessee, Missouri, Ohio, Indiana and Illinois, organizers completed their quest for all 100 years. They paraded several of them to the Farm Progress Show Aug. 29-31 in Decatur to celebrate the show's 70th anniversary. The Farm Progress show follows the Half Century of Progress, coming around in Decatur, like the Half Century of Progress, every two years.
Allis Chalmers also celebrated the 60th anniversary of the Allis Chalmers model D21 tractor, which was introduced in 1963 and produced until 1969. Zach Repking, of Ellisville, Missouri, hails from a family that collects the Persian-orange tractors. He has been registering the tractors since news of the event began. "We now have over 600 in the registry, and we know where they are," Zach said.
Darryl Krause, formerly of Illinois and now from Amarillo, Texas, and Rich Bergeson of Ransom, Illinois, teamed up to bring the D21 reunion to fruition. Plans started formulating in 2018 in Pontiac at the Gathering of the Orange, a big Allis Chalmers event. "We had 97 D21s, and it was the 55th anniversary," Rich said.
"We were aiming for 100 model D21s," Krause said on Saturday, when they already had 200, with more still on the way.
There were several rare D21s in the group, and Darryl Krause owns both the first one built and the last one to roll off the assembly line in 1969. Allis Chalmers and Deutz were both acquired by the AGCO company in June of 1990, so today AC history lives on through the AGCO brand.
Success of the event depends on its sponsors, and volunteers who work the gates and exhibits. One sponsor, Heritage Iron, has been part of the show since the beginning. Sherry Schaefer, from Greenville, publishes both the Heritage Iron, and Oliver Heritage magazines. "I missed the first show in 2003 because I was in Washington, D.C., when hurricane Isabel come in, but other than that first show, we have been a sponsor the whole time." Heritage Iron represents the "muscle tractors" and next to her booth was a bevy of big, high-rpm tractors. One of the highlights, Sherry said, was the 1965 John Deere 5010 that Tom Vehuizen built with a 1053 V12 Chrysler AV-1790 engine out of a Sherman tank.
This show is where collectors can see both two-cylinder and new-generation John Deere tractors, Farmall beauties, and all the other unusual brands manufactured over the years, along with some created ones like the half-scale tractors made by toy modeler and tractor restorer Jeremy Richards.
The show also displays farm toys. Several exhibitors like Charlotte and Danny Angotti, from Wardell, Missouri, have been setting up and selling farm toys of several makes and models, along with literature and memorabilia, for years. Families also had the chance to see vintage equipment in action plowing fields, picking corn and cutting beans. There was hand shucking, horse plowing, and even steam engine action. Every two years this show brings together collectors from all over the U.S. In fact, Hendrik Kerkhofs and Anita Kerkhofs-Haesen traveled all the way from Belgium to attend this one-of-a-kind show.
Cindy Ladage of Virden is married to farmer Keith Ladage, and they have three grown children and two grandchildren. Cindy has a blog, Traveling Adventures of a Farm Girl, and writes for Senior News & Times and antique tractor magazines. With her husband she enjoys the antique tractor hobby, and events that ensure the preservation of agricultural heritage.
