POYNETTE, Wis. — Retired fire ranger Terry Dorshorst of Poynette, Wis. and his wife, Peggy, have created several museums to house Terry’s collections. Friends, family and schoolchildren have come to the Dorshorst farmstead, to tour the John Deere museum housed in a post-and-beam horse barn.<br>
Besides Terry’s JD museum, there is also a gas engine shed, a blacksmith shop, an old homestead cabin, and a cordwood cabin as well as Terry’s general store. All of these buildings were either built from scratch, or torn down and resurrected. The buildings are all built on the family farm.<br>
“We have 400 acres. This was (Peggy’s) dad’s land,” Terry explained. “We’ve been here for 30 years now, since 1973.”
These days Terry’s farm work consists of raising hay for their horses, which reside near the JD museum. The museum has a bit of a theme.<br>
“Located inside the barn, we have restored John Deere tractors from 1935 to 1952, horse drawn implements and many other farm related articles from the past,” Terry said.<br>
Besides tractors that Terry restored himself, the museum is also filled with corn shellers, plows, planters, and box wagons. Along with his wagons, he has a special wagon referred to as a Democrat wagon.<br>
Peggy said, “Our Quarter Horse pulled it the last time last time she was up to it.”
JD collectibles can be found in every direction with signs, clocks, gas cans, seed sacks, tractor seats, tools, tool box covers, chicken feeders, pedal toys and even a John Deere rope tripper. There are several items also that came from the local J.D dealer in Poynette, JC Jameison & Son.<br>
Terry’s JD museum is barn with a bit of history.<br>
“This barn was torn down and moved in 1987 from the Harold Barewolf farm on Highway 22. There it was known as the ‘horse barn.’ The pegs were all driven out and the beams removed the reassembled here,” Terry shared.<br>
The Dorshorsts share their homestead. Each year they drag their bobsled out of the museum, and Peggy says they have a party and open their general store.<br>
“In the fall, we have apple pressing. Kids that started out young are now up into high school,” she added.<br>
Those who visit also stop to see the gas engine shed that is made from an old garage that once housed a 1918 Model T Touring Car. Terry hauled that to the farm in a wagon. He also has a Blacksmith Shop which replicates an early shop.<br>
“A gas engine runs a line shaft which powers a drill press, metal saw and grinder,” said Terry. “Inside you will find a working forge and other related tools of the trade.”<br>
Kids visiting can also see what it would be like to live in a log cabin. The couple has one that is an old homestead cabin believed to be built by Ole Johnson Fromdal in about 1865.
“It was disassembled there where it was originally a story and a half cabin,” explained Terry. “We were only able to salvage enough logs to restore it to a one story cabin. When you walk through the door, it is like a step back in time.”<br>
The Dorshorsts welcome visitors to their Homestead Cabins and Farm Museum, but ask that visitors call first to make an appointment at 608-635-2950. “Call for group tours,” Terry encouraged. “If people can come and enjoy it, come.”