Galleries 7
Collections 1
Groups 1
Created 5-Sep-12
Modified 17-Nov-22
I've never lived on a farm but many in my family have. I grew up with stories of Walt's Farm and his brother-in-law Glenn Buckwalter. My only memories of farm equipment come from the Western Minnesota Steam Thresher's Reunion.


I've been to this annual Labor Day event at seven times. (2012) I have photos from each visit posted on this site.

Dad and mom took Suzanne and I to the WMSTR in 1970. Glenn Buckwalter was the engineer on a big Rumely Old Pull tractor. It was huge, noisy, smelly, and Glenn had me up in the cab for the parade. It had a chain hooked to the steering wheel. No power steering. I turned the wheel has hard as I could. Around and around it would go and yet the tractor would barely turn. As we approached a turn it was obvious we were about to leave the parade; so Glenn took over and turned the heavy wheel much faster than I could manage.

In 1976 I attended with my dad, Suzanne, and my best friend Bob Nelson. Glenn passed aways three years earlier. It was the Bicentennial year and Fargo celebrated its centennial last year so nostalgia was in the air. As teenage boys we were not too excited about attending, we were sporting new SLRs and photography was a new hobby for both of us.

In 1998 I was feeling nostalgic about Rollag and asked to go. Bob wanted to go as did mom. I wanted the full experience including the Thresher man's breakfast so we arrived early. I limited myself to one roll of film. I was most interested in seeing International pickup trucks. International Harvester was the featured name. My grandfather Bill Maas had International pickups for the Maas Store in Sydney, ND. The store name was painted by James Kirkpatrick.

2003 Dad and I invited Duane Maas (Walt's son, dad's cousin) to the 50th anniversary of the WMSTR. I had been reading up on early farming techniques and had scanned old family photos including threshing photos. We arrived early to take part of the Thresherman's breakfast at the Assumption Church building. During the parade Duane was a treasure trove of information about tractors. After the parade we toured the displays and looked at the old cars. I commented on the size of the fly wheels on the static steam engines. We took a bus to see the three Oil Pull tractors pull a 50-bottom plow. We finished the day with tractor displays and steam shovel.

2008 I attend with dad's cousin Gene Maas. We arrived in Rollag at 7:15 am, the site has gotten so big it is impossible to see it all in one day. This was the first time I made it out to the horse farm. Gene posed with all the tractors that were on his father's farm. (Walter Maas)

Gene Maas and I returned to Rollag in 2009. Bob Nelson expressed interest in photographing the event, so we took him along. We spent most of our time watching the working horse power demonstration, the 2:00 pm tractor parade, and then the tractors displays.

2012 was the year I got to visit with both Gene and Duane. We were joined by Jim Peterson and Wayne Tees- Walt's son-in-laws. We looked at some engines, caught the 10 am parade, visited the horse farm, had lunch, watched the Prony Brake test, watched some steam threshing, saw the big steam shovels in action, enjoyed the fashion show, walked the grounds, had supper, and talked with many exhibitors. My goal this year was to concentrate on the people of the WMSTR rather than the equipment.

1970 WMSTR

Visitors 98
13 photos
Created 15-Jun-20
Modified 15-Jun-20
1970 WMSTR

1976 WMSTR

Visitors 26
36 photos
Created 27-Sep-23
Modified 27-Sep-23
1976 WMSTR

1998 WMSTR

Visitors 39
12 photos
Created 15-Jun-20
Modified 15-Jun-20
1998 WMSTR

2003 WMSTR

Visitors 55
157 photos
Created 16-Oct-20
Modified 16-Oct-20
2003 WMSTR

2008 Bonanzaville

Visitors 193
13 photos
Created 15-Jun-20
Modified 15-Jun-20
2008 Bonanzaville

2008 WMSTR

Visitors 139
147 photos
Created 15-Jun-20
Modified 15-Jun-20
2008 WMSTR

2009 WMSTR

Visitors 1210
122 photos
Created 27-Sep-23
Modified 27-Sep-23
2009 WMSTR

2012 Fashion Show

Visitors 17
88 photos
Created 15-Jun-20
Modified 15-Jun-20
2012 Fashion Show

2012 WMSTR

Visitors 31
210 photos
Created 15-Jun-20
Modified 15-Jun-20
2012 WMSTR

2013 WMSTR

Galleries 2
Collections 1
Modified 15-Jun-20
195 photos
2013 WMSTR

2017 Milwaukee Road No.261

Visitors 73
42 items
Created 15-Jun-20
Modified 15-Jun-20
2017 Milwaukee Road  No.261

2022 WMSTR

Visitors 0
167 photos
Created 17-Nov-22
Modified 17-Nov-22
2022 WMSTR