Steam and Gas Engine Show this weekend in Pawnee

How about a trip back in time this weekend to the heyday of steam power? It's all happening in Pawnee at the Steam and Gas Engine Show. <br/><br/>It's a chance to see how many of our grandfathers

Friday, May 7th 2004, 12:29 pm

By: News On 6

How about a trip back in time this weekend to the heyday of steam power? It's all happening in Pawnee at the Steam and Gas Engine Show.

It's a chance to see how many of our grandfathers got their work done. News on 6 reporter Rick Wells has the story.

"My grandfather brought me to this show when I was 7 years old in 1974, I got hooked." What little boy wouldnâ€™t? Jeff Detwiler is a CPA in Oklahoma City; he got hooked in 1974, but didn't buy his first steam engine until four years ago. "This engine would take the place of 12 horses it's a 12 horse power portable."

In this case it's hooked up to and helping run the saw mill. They are turning cedar logs into useable lumber. "What we're trying to do is re-create the way things were done in the early teens and 20's." It was steam power's hey day. Easy to understand how folks could get hooked they are very simple machines. "Build a little coal fire, boil a little water, generate steam and convert that into rotating power."

They could hook one of these steam engines up to threshing machines, or rock crushers or saw mills, anything that needed power. But this show isn't all about steam; there are lots of tractors of all ages and types.

And if you think this is just a guy thing, the president of the show's a woman. Rhonda Swanson: "We have stone ground corn meal, that's really great once you buy it you won't ever want to buy it from the store."

A word of caution, donâ€™t stand too close to a steam whistle.

The Oklahoma Steam and Gas Engine Show runs through Sunday, in Pawnee at the county fairgrounds.