This year will be the 50th anniversary of the Antique Engine and Tractor Assoc. (AETA) show. Held Sept. 16 -17-18 in Geneseo, this reunion will celebrate half a century of antique power in northern Illinois. The show will feature John Deere tractors and equipment.

The first show was in 1961 and the club originally began as the 3rd Branch of the Early Day Gas Engine and Tractor Assoc. The club formed on July 4, 1959, and later changed its name to the AETA.

It is fitting that when AETA celebrates its 50th reunion, the city of Geneseo will celebrate its 175th anniversary. During the reunion the club has several special events planned.

“On Saturday, September 17,” Dave Carton, reunion show director, said, “we will have a Time Capsule presentation, followed by the introduction of 10 original members. Three of these are our original founding fathers. These 10 members will be leading the parade along with Bill and June Cole, who donated our 40-acre location which brought the club back to its roots.
“Our show started in Geneseo in 1959 (and) has been held in eight different locations. We returned to Geneseo in 2010. Many of our displays will be honoring our early members from 1959 to 1966 and other influential members who were on the show plaques and show buttons. We are excited to report that there will be over 60 rare items on display. Some of these items have not been displayed at our show for over 30 years.”

One special item is a rare 1918 Dain. The John Deere All-wheel Drive Tractor was named for its designer, Joe Dain. Originally owned by founding member F.L. Williams, the tractor was part of the early shows before it went to California, then was later donated to the Northern Illinois Steam Power Club of Sycamore.
“This Dain tractor will be back on display on our club grounds this year,” Carton said. “Our sincere thanks to Eric Maloney of Maloney Equipment in Fulton, Illinois, for sponsoring the Dain and to the Northern Illinois Steam Power Club for loaning the tractor to us for our 2011 show.”

For those who want an earlier glimpse of the Dain, add the Northern Illinois Steam Power Club’s show to your calendar. That show is Aug. 11-14; for more information, visit www.threshingbee.org

Other rare tractors that will be at the AETA show include a 1911 Reeves, 1923 Lawson and a two-wheel Rock Island Heider 510C from the early 1900s. Steam engines on display will include Avery, Woods and Case. Gas engines will also be represented, with Stover, Sheldon, R&V, Gade and an amazing lineup of Rock Island and Headless Witte engines.

Custom-built scale models of tractors and engines will also be showcased. To complete the show will be early 1900s farm equipment on display.
One of the highlights of attending a show put on by the AETA is a view of its latest building constructed on the show grounds north of Geneseo. It appears as though it was built 100 years ago and is an example of construction used in that period.

The grounds are located on a 40-acre site donated by Bill and June Cole of Hillsdale, for the purpose of providing a permanent location for its annual antique engine and tractor show. For more information, check out the website at www.ae-ta.com or call Carton at 309-441-5915, John Boyens at 563-370-0966 or Charlie Reiss at 309-236-2186.

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