Russell Buhr and John Frederickson headed up the 2017 Half Century of Progress Show. This was the first time that the late Darius Harms was not at the helm, so the Rantoul, Ill., show was dedicated to Darius in his honor and it went off without a hitch. While all brands are on hand at the Half Century, International Harvester had a huge presence, and this year one of those Farmall red machines included a 1949 O6 belonging to John and Peggy Curtis. John hails from Mt. Vernon, Ohio, which he said, is about 50 miles from Columbus and eight miles from the geological center of the state. The tractor he brought to the show was quite eye-catching, with its beautiful red paint and tall flag waving behind it. With the “Big Flag” (aka the World’s Largest Flying Flag, which dominates the landscape at the Half Century show), the flag on the O6 fit right in. Each morning during the show, the World’s Largest Flying Flag was raised against the background of “The Star-Spangled Banner” playing. Not a person stirred during the anthem and all hats were off and hands on hearts. The story of John’s 1949 O6 begins when it was bought new by Bogardus Orchards, a local apple orchard that sold out to Glenn Hill. John said today, the orchard is still in business; he bought the O6 two years ago. The tractor was restored by a friend of the Curtis family, Jason Boyd, who is also from Mt. Vernon. The tractor may be beautiful now, but when Jason got it, it needed a bit of work, so the job took time. For the fenders, which are original, he cut them into strips and then welded them together. John noted that after Jason was done, he had said, “I’m glad I did it, but I don’t want to do another!” Once the body work was done, putting it back together was touch-and-go. Putting the fenders and body back on the frame took what seemed a small army. “It took four of us to put it on and not dent it up,” John explained. “Jason said that the fenders on the O6 were as much work as a car,” Peggy added. “He restored our H, too, and painted our semi. A while back he quit his job and started a shop.” The O6 was newly restored – in fact, the Curtises just picked it up around the first of July. After a short stay at Marion, Ohio, at the Buckeye Classic, the next stop was the Half Century of Progress. John has been a red guy since way back: “My dad had a 1946 Farmall H he bought new. We restored it and took it in a parade in Nebraska.” The Curtis family heard about the parade and the Half Century of Progress through RFD-TV. They became interested in joining in shows and activities that surround antique tractors, and they love the results. The Curtises have 52 acres and raise alpaca and have a grain hauling and fertilizer business. “We live inside the city limits. It’s nice; we are just two blocks from town,” Peggy said. “We have been raising alpacas since 1980.” John noted, “This was a dairy farm. My family had Round Hill Dairy and processed milk, and had an ice cream store. Now we rent it out, after Dad retired. Grandpa delivered milk in a horse and buggy. I delivered milk in the half-pint when I was young.” While not into dairy these days, John and Peggy are into tractors, and visitors were delighted to see the O6 on exhibit and in the daily parade. For information about the upcoming 2019 Half Century of Progress, log onto www.halfcenturyofprogress.com Readers with questions or comments for Cindy Ladage may write to her in care of this publication. Learn more of Cindy’s finds and travel in her blog, “Traveling Adventures of a Farm Girl,” at http://travelingadventuresofafarmgirl.com |
