Terry Hankins was set up with his International Harvester toys at this year’s Winamac, Ind., toy show. The show brings about 2,000 people to the Eastern Pulaski Elementary School to check out the variety of toys.

What one does not always know is the story behind the vendor selling the toys. For example, take Terry Hankins; this complex individual was instrumental in the development of International equipment and Ford trucks that farmers have used on a daily basis.

Terry worked at the Navistar Indianapolis plant from 1959-82. “The plant opened in 1938 and ended in 2009,” Terry shared. “The plant made 11 million engines for International Harvester combines, stationary applications, scouts and medium duty, trucks and tractors and Ford pickups and vans.”

The role that Terry played at the IH plant was pivotal: “I was the engineer for the V8 tractor models 1468 and 1568. I was also the engine plant engineer for the 715 gas engine combine.”

When the plant closed in 1983, Terry’s talents were switched over to Ford where he was involved with the launch of its power truck diesels. “I worked there from 1982 to 1995 then I retired and worked on contract until 2001,” he explained.

Terry’s history with this plant goes back to even before his employment. “When the plant started in 1938, my dad, Omer, was the 268th employee hired. My number was like 8,000, and before the plant shut down, (there were about) 18,000.”

Kent, the youngest of Terry and his wife Pat’s two sons, also worked at the plant while attending school at Purdue University.

With all this IH background it is no surprise Terry Hankins is an IH collector. In 1980 he began collecting memorabilia from the Indianapolis plant and his collection has expanded greatly since then. While he has the badges his father had when employed, Terry has a wonderful collection of his own which includes more than 300 IH watch fobs, an extensive collection of lithographs, signs and other memorabilia.

“I have over 120 lithographs, including Gammon/Deering ones. Gammon,” he added,” when Deering started, was one of his partners. I have six different McCormick battle scene lithographs and old calendars at the turn of the century.”

As seen at the Winamac toy show, Terry also has an extensive collection of IH toy  trucks and tractors. “He is an amazing man with a wonderful collection,” Debbie Maxwell, a collector from Rossville, Ill., said.

After retiring from IH and with the plant’s closing, Terry – along with some other retirees – thought it important to preserve some of the wonderful history that went on at this factory, so they joined forces to create a room where IH history lives on.

“I am one of the founders of the Irvington Historical Society IH museum. We have a lot of IH memorabilia,” he said.

The Irvington Historical Society Museum is located at the Historical Society, at 131 Main Street, or mailing address P.O. BOX 23, Irvington, NY 10533. Call 914-591-1020 or log onto www.irvingtonhistoricalsociety.org for details.

Readers with questions or comments for Cindy Ladage may write to her in care of this publication.