Vintage Rollag Pictures

Brian K. Nelson

Brian K. Nelson

Mega Poster
WMSTR Lifetime Member
This forum is such a great idea!!!
We've scanned in some old pictures from some early shows at Rollag.
I'm going to post one at a time.
This picture is of the Nichols & Sheppard going up the Hill during the parade through the people. I would say that this picture is taken in the area where the main water tank is located.
:)
Brian
 
Here is Picture #2

Picture of some steam engines and some "new" cars. If I were to guess this picture is taken in front of where the Admin building sits now.

:)
Brian
 
Here's picture #3...

The grounds sure look different back then. I would guess on this one that the cars in the forground are where the Eatshack and the Steam Engine row sits now..

:)
Brian
 
Picture #4....

Here is a good picture of the crowd and the engine in the center is the "old Gaar Scott". Notice the public announcer on the bottom right... Little different than today...

:)
Brian
 
Finally Picture #5.... lunch...

Here is a picture of the Ladies from Rollag Church having a little lunch themselves... Right behind that car would be the where the main well for the gounds is today.. Just think the kids in this pictures are in their mid to late 50's.

:)
Brian
 
Great pictures Brian. I wasn't even born then! The show grounds are constantly changing. I have been attending the show since 1978, when the west edge of the grounds was near the eat shack, and the only camping was Peasant Valley, and no showers! No flush toilets either! About the only thing recognizable in these pictures is the trees!

Thanks!
 
1969 Pictures

Interesting discussion. I thought I would throw in a couple shots I have from the 1969 and 1970 shows. My dad took several shots of me in front of different pieces of equipment. I have been scanning alot of slides and these were among them. Last year I took several around with me and compared the engines now with what they looked like 37 years ago. It was real interesting how some of them really were quite the same. some like this Reeves had some improvements made. This shot is of my great grandfather Art Pilgren, My Aunt Sharon Jurgens and myself at about 4 years old. I loved that stuff even then. I have a picture of my 4th birthday cake with a steam traction engine on it. The one thing I wish is that I would have known more as a 10-12 year old to ask question of any of my 3 great grandfathers about their experiences with steam traction engines. I remember them talking about it but at the time I did not know that I would ever be getting involved myself. If there is any interest after I try a couple I can post some more, but I don't want to bore people either.

Darren

Reeves1969.jpg
 
Darren Gunderson;1187 said:
If there is any interest after I try a couple I can post some more, but I don't want to bore people either.

Darren
Click to expand...

Your kidding, right? Post away man! These are great pictures Darren!

Notice both engines still had the jacketing on the boilers? Wow!

Do you know who's Reeves that one is? Is it Danielsons?

I am looking forward to more of these old pictures!
 
Keep posting - Please.:picture:

I was just last night watching the first Rollag video "Steamers". It is really interesting to see how far the show has come.
 
M Kerkvliet;1196 said:
Your kidding, right? Post away man! These are great pictures Darren!

Notice both engines still had the jacketing on the boilers? Wow!

Do you know who's Reeves that one is? Is it Danielsons?

I am looking forward to more of these old pictures!
Click to expand...

Yes that is Danielson's, at least I am pretty sure that is the name of the person I talked to at the last show about it. It is the one that is there at Rollag every year. I am still learning peoples names. I am at a little bit of a disadvantage since I live in Kansas and can only make it there to work a couple times a year. The person running the Reeves was able to identify a couple of the people in the photo around the engine. I gave him a copy of it because he said it was interesting because it still had the jacketing on. He was also commenting on the old Coca Cola sign in the back.

I will get a couple more resized and the filesize shrunk this evening and post a couple more since it seems like people are interested. I sure was but was not sure if others would find it as cool as I did. You will just have to bear with the fact that I show up as a kid in each of them. :D

Darren
 
Pioneer Pics

OK here is one thing that I found real interesting. The first picture is from the 1970 show and shows the Pioneer. The second one was taken at the 2005 show. Look at the rear corner of the corregated roof. The exact same bend is still in it. The paint is somewhat faded but otherwise they almost could have been taken on the same day.
Pioneer1970.jpg


Pioneer2005.jpg
 
Fantastic pictures! Nice to see them and great to know the engines have been well cared for over the years!!!!! I am hoping to see more of these kind of pictures! THANKS!!:)
 
Anyone recognize these?

Well here is one more. I did not originally include it because I had not gone around the show to see if I could find this one. Does anyone recognize the Avery or even the Aultman to the side? I am just curious if either of these are still around or if anyone knows anything about them. This picture is from the 1969 show and is yours truly on the deck.

AveryGas1969.jpg


Darren
 
Well, that 40-80 Avery is now at the Albany, MN show. I believe it was owned by Elmer Larson when it was at Rollag. I think the owner at Albany is Peternel or something like that. That tractor too hasn't changed a bit other than some paint fade. I remember that 30-60 AT being at Rollag only a year or too ago, but I don't recall seeing it last year (I could be wrong.) I know it hadn't run for a number of years, it just needed somebody to give it a little attention as far as water leaks and such I think.

Matt
 
old pics

These pictures are great, especially for a kid like me. I only have a few years of memories in my head. So keep them coming.:picture:
 
Well since this thread has resurfaced lately I guess I will add one more. This is probably from the 1969 show. I guess I did not post it earlier since it was not steam and not a big prairie tractor, but after looking again, It is a pretty neat little Cletrac. Again, that is me in the picture. After looking at the past posts and pictures again, I realized that on the picture on the back of the 40-80 Avery, I am holding two horseshoes that I got there at the show and those two horshoes are still on a shelf in my office to this day. Those and the show buttons and these pictures are treasures from my youth.
Cletrac1970.jpg

I remember after I got married and had been telling my wife about this wonderful show and how we should go. I had showed her the pictures and stuff I had from when I was a kid. She has had a real interest in railroads all her life but not so much of an interest in the agricultural engines. I finally got to get her there in 1994 for her first show and the only thing she was looking forward to was to ride the 353. Well I wanted to sit through the parade and it was rainy and cold and miserable that day but she stayed with me and when it was all over we went to ride the RR but wouldn't you know, it was broken. All that combined made it a hard sell to ever go back. But now I am proud to say that she has joined the ranks of Rollag crews has her MN license and helps happily at the Ortner.

The only reason I mention any of this is that years ago I wanted to be able to work with equipment like this and never thought it would be possible but after being lucky in finding a great group of people to work with and learn from there, I am proud to be part of Doc Knutsons crew for the 20 Minneapolis. It took a while from when I was 5 or 6, but things have a way of working out. It only took 38 years or so :)

Darren
 
What is amazing to me Darren, is the miles you guys travel to come to the show every year and the times you come up during the winter / spring to help out.

Where did you live back when those pictures were taken?
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top