1910 Days/Old Steamshovels

[Josh Botting]

Actually the farmers in Wiscasset are not Amish, they drive vehicles to get around.  They are just organic farmers that believe in using horses over tractors.  One of them actually lives along the ROW.

[Stephen Hussar]

John, the Maine Amish are further north, in Smyrna.  http://www.aroostook.me.us/smyrna/amish.html

[Stewart "Start" Rhine]

I think a steam show / working horse event would be a good thing at AC.  Bring visitors in by train so there's no problem with parking, etc.  Food could be sold at AC or Sheepscot.  Of course the fields at AC are not ours so the Board would have to get permission from the land owners on both sides.  We do own the gravel lot across from the station so the heavy equipment could be staged there.  This type of event takes a good sized lot.  We could also have a flea market at AC or Sheepscot. 

There are a number of steam shows, Amish horse pulls and Threshers Reunion events in my area of Northern Md and Southern Pa.  I've been going to them for over 30 years and the attendance gets bigger each year.  Many are city folks who just want a day in the country.  They wind up with an enjoyable day and history lesson.   

[Dana Deering]

If we try to pull off 1910 days or something like it it's going to take some palnning and coordination with the land owners, but I'd like to see it happen.  Lots of good ideas being tossed out there!

Duncan, you never know what might happen if you ask the fellow about the shovel.  He might like to see it put in opearable condition and actually running!

[Duncan Mackiewicz]

Dana,
As I said, there's no harm in asking.  I'll stop by his place of business and ask him about the shovel.
Duncan

[John Kokas]

Great ideas guys, I've been to some steam "threshers" gatherings over the years and they are truely something to see.  Maybe throw in some Lumberjack competitions/demonstrations to boot.  Add an outdoor dinner with Lobster, Salt Potatoes, and Corn on the cob and I'll drive through a CAT5 hurricane to get there....

[Stewart "Start" Rhine]

Another draw is to have live music.  Two of the steam shows I attend have small stages where Bluegrass music is played.  Visitors sit on the grass or bring folding chairs for the lunch time shows.  We could set a flatbed truck or trailer set up as a stage.  I wonder if the Soggy Bottom Boys are available.  I hear they were pardoned by the Governor ...

[Pete "Cosmo" Barrington]

Well,
while they're not exactly bluegrass, I bet I could talk Enter The Haggis or even Coyote Run into showing up!

Might talk to the CERM guys though, they have a summer music program where they use a flatcar for a stage.

[Jeff Patelski]

I'm a solo musician (guitar and vocal) and would volunteer to open for whatever band headlines. Anybody willing to lend me an vintage 1910 Martin?

I bet within our member ranks we've got enough pickers to put several bands together.

"Wreck of old 97" key of C. Ready? 1 - 2 - 3 - 4!

[Pete "Cosmo" Barrington]

Heeheee,....
...if they're not too busy playing with the trains!
(Or horses, or steam shovels, or sawmill, or ground-sloths, or fruit-bats, or breakfast cereals....)

Seriously, I DO like the idea!

Concideing if you invite 5 or 6 bands, you can usually ge one or two to show up, it'd make sense to maybe have one or two actual bands, probably for later afternoon/evening time performance, and stick to more local musicians for the major portion of the event.
This would also allow the headliners to enjoy the days events while the others take turns playing durring the day, and vice versa.

[Stewart "Start" Rhine]

The key to having this event is a small committee with a chairman who has the time and patience to put it together.  As some of you know, I am on the Board of my local volunteer fire company.  Each year we have a Fall Fest which brings in around 10,000 people.  All arrangements for vendors and entertainment are made through the committee chair.  He is the go-to guy for all questions pertaining to the event.  This has worked well for the last 6 years.

If the WW&F Board approves a "1910 Days/Steam Show" event a steam show committee would arrange everything from parking to mapping the display area(s).  Safety is one of the first concerns with children around working equipment and moving trains.  We should limit the locations where visitors can cross the tracks if we use both fields.  I think we should start small with antique engines, autos and working horses as displays.  Those things could be in the east field and the food tents, etc could be in the west field.  Food could be out sourced to a local church or the Alna VFD.  We would have to work out where exhibitors park their trailers.   They need room to stage, unload and turn the horse and tractor trailers.  We would need volunteers to work the event area as well as run trains. 

I think there is alot of potential for the museum to advance it's standing with the town and surrounding areas with this event.  It is a great way to entertain and teach at the same time.   Teaching about the history of the railroad and it's affect on life in the Sheepscot Valley is our mission.   

[Wayne Laepple]

This has been a great thread. I've really enjoyed reading it and seeing the variety of ideas presented.

However, before we can go forward with the idea of a 1910 day/days event, we have to complete the parking lot and restrooms at Sheepscot. We must be prepared to accommodate many more visitors than any of us expects. We should also have an operating plan that is as straightforward and simple as possible.

Stewart's comments earlier today are right on the money with regard to planning, mapping, safety, etc. All of these things, along with a host of other issues, will contribute to the success of the event and whether visitors, exhibitors and vendors want to be involved a second time.

An event like this could grow to become a major source of income for the museum, as well as a way to get our name and our mission out there.

[James Patten]

..we have to complete the parking lot and restrooms at Sheepscot....

..so everybody be sure to give generously after you get the fund raising letter this year (which I believe will go out in early September).  The beginning of the restroom project is on it.

[Stewart "Start" Rhine]

Good point James,  Financial support is vital to the restroom and parking lot projects. Regarding the parking lot, the plan is to build the first lane (row C) of the parking lot in 2009.  The rest of the trees and brush will be cleared this Winter and entrance construction and grading will be done in the Spring.  That will give us 30 car spaces and 4 wide handicap spots.  The planned car spaces are a bit wide so we may get more cars in if we reduce the spaces.  The next phase would be the center lane (row B) which will add another 30 spaces.  Lane B is scheduled for completion in 2010 but extra funding could fast track it's construction.  Gravel is the biggest expense with the parking lot.  It is needed for other projects too so the more funds the more gravel.   

[o anderson]

This is a great idea.  I like the idea of making it follow along with some active Maine farming activities and traditions.  You know, the combination of threshers reunions and railroad facilities (15" gauge to standard guage) is repeated in many places across the Midwest.  The biggest is probably at Mount Pleasant Iowa starting today and running through the weekend.  Here they have a state fair sized event with a 3-foot gauge railroad circling the grounds AND a standard gauge trolley line running out and about the campgrounds to the gate.
http://www.oldthreshers.org/
http://www.mcrr.org/
http://web.presby.edu/~jtbell/transit/MtPleasant/MERM/

I would encourage you to start next year with a mini event and grow it to the full sized extravaganza you hope for.  Portable toilets can be rented for the weekend.
Best of luck ,
O. Anderson