Steam Tractor
Steam tractor in a ditch. The large drive wheel on the side was used with a belt to power the thresher machine that is behind the tractor. Possibly an early Rumely tractor.
circa 1915
Midway Village Museum
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Still Image
85.109(I).877
Threshing Bee
Threshing Bee. A steam engine is in the foreground. Horses pulled the portable steam engine to the field where it operated as the power source for the thresher. The two machines were connected with the long drive belt.
circa 1880s - 1890s
Midway Village Museum
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Still Image
83.45.101
Threshing Season
Horse drawn threshing machine, circa 1880s. Being made of wood indicates that it is an early model of a thresher. The development of threshers was reliant on the availablity of power to run the machines. Horses pulled this machine to a field where it remained stationery and grain was put to it. Horses were the early power source to operate the thresher. By 1890 - 1930 horse pulled, portable steam engines became the thresher's power source. Gas powered tractors replaced both horses and the steam engines starting in 1930 and combines replaced the threshers by 1950.
circa 1880s
Midway Village Museum
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Still Image
76.60.3
Steam Engine Powering a Thresher
Steam engine used to power a threshing machine in the field. Note the large belt at the right. This belt was attached to the thresher machine.
circa 1890 - 1915
Midway Village Museum
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Still Image
74.657.30d