Horse Power Days

By John E. Chambers

THE CAPITAL-JOURNAL

MERIDEN --- There is one major problem the Meriden Antique Engine and Threshers Association must solve these days when it prepares for its annual spring Horse Power Days at its frontier town of Cottonwood Station, one-fourth mile east of Meriden along K-4 highway.

The major problem in the Horse Power Days show lies not any lack of ability in restoring or reproducing old-time buildings or antique machinery.

Gary Bowen, a longtime member and secretary of the association, said that among the 50-some members of the organization are enough skilled craftsman to prepare any facility or equipment needed to portray rural and small town life as it was lived in earlier times. If there is no one in the organization who is familiar with how a particular machine was built and operated, someone will do the research needed to put one together.

Many of the members who are now retired themselves experienced life during the era of horse-drawn equipment, on the cusp of the changing times.

Neither is the major problem usually a lack of materials, especially wood. The association saws its own wood for building and repairing structures. Members sawed their own beams and siding for building the association's three-story mill.

Members also look for authentic antique equipment and machinery to fill in their existing displays, and visitors occasionally offer to donate an antique piece of equipment.

The main problem in setting up a horsepower show these times is in finding enough draft horses to put on a show. Members wonder how many more years they will be able to find enough trained and available draft horses to shift between the various activities. Horses have to be rotated between various pieces of equipment.

"See how life was before the engine," is the invitation on a Horse Power Days brochure, and to give a picture of this kind of life requires at least some minimum number of draft horses. This kind of power is becoming more and more rare. Few farmers are willing any more to bear the expenses required to keep draft horses fed and healthy, and horse-drawn tools in good working order, just to show once a year.

"There are only a couple of old-timers who have horses left," Bowen said.

He said the Horse Power Days eventually may be combined with another show to keep going.

The Meriden Antique Engine and Threshers Association is a nonprofit organization developed in 1977. Its purpose is "to preserve, through living history, early farming techniques, the appreciation of antique engines, occupations and cultures in small towns and rural areas of early Kansas."

Other officers of the association are Keith Jackson, of Valley Falls, president; Dennis Knudsen, of Oskaloosa, vice president; and Grace Ann Dunn, of Meriden, treasurer.

Horse-drawn activities on the grounds this weekend will include a corn sheller, buzz saw, well drilling, hay baling, putting hay in the barn, Silver Spurs FFA competition on the track, livery barn and horse-drawn wagons and buggies.

Boyce McNorton's collection of barn equipment, such as hay carriers and unloading forks, stanchions and manure carriers, will be on display in the barn.

For the Silver Spurs competition, an entry fee is required and prizes will be given. Registration is at 8 a.m. and the show starts at 9 a.m. The cost of participating is $2 for each event, or $15 for all events each day. There is no age limit.

There will be a parade at 1 p.m. each day. Horse shoeing and farrier work will be available on the grounds from Bill Kabus. He can be contacted in advance at (785) 484-3395.

During the well drilling, the demonstration has produced water in the past. Visitors also can see the permanent historic displays at the General Store and Post Office, the print shop, sawmill, livery barn, blacksmith shop, Sims Garage, 1854 log cabin, 1863 sorghum press, three-story flour mill based on a 1885, 50-barrel-a-day mill, a general store and print shop.

The association still is working on the flour mill, which is about three-fourths completed, Bowen said. Draft horses, ponies, mules and machinery are welcome at Horse Power Days.

A new feature on the grounds that is being restored is the Bloomfield Community Church. This church hadn't been used as a church for years but had served as a meeting place for the Bloomfield Community Club. Dwindling usage and deterioration of the building had led to its donation to the association for preservation, and the building was moved to the grounds at Meriden.

One of the club members, Rosie Geier is now the chairman of the association's church committee.

Work has begun on the church building. Although the work is incomplete, the church will be open for public viewing during Horse Power Days.

When the association was taking bids for moving the church to its new home at Meriden, professional building mover Gary Hupe, of Valley Moving at Wamego, came over to check out the building at its original site, 7 1/2 miles north of Meriden. After looking over the building, Hupe told the association he would move it free of charge. He said he usually donated his services for moving one building a year. Although he already had made his annual donation last year, he said he would also move this one for free.

"This saved us about $10,000," Bowen said.

The church was moved last July, in extremely hot weather, after the summer show was over. Going ahead and behind the church on the move were crews who removed and replaced signs and mailboxes, and crews from two electric companies to deal with overhead wires.

The original site of the church at a cemetery wasn't left unmarked. The association put a monument where the church formerly stood. Engraved on the monument was a sketch of the church and a brief history. At least one member of the association had attended a rural school, Bloomfield School, which was located near the church.

The first work on the church after the move was to put on a new roof and to pour concrete footings to support the original rock foundations. Gene Leadtka, one of the association members who had retired in Arkansas, was a brick mason. The former Rock Creek resident returned to Meriden to relay the rock foundation of the church, aided by Josh Hefiner.

The church has four arched windows on each side. These had been replaced with modern aluminum combination windows that didn't match the historic period of the church. Originally, the church was a United Brethren in Christ Church built in 1895. It formerly had a bell tower with two more arched windows in that. The association plans to rebuild the bell tower, Bowen said.

Some members, using wood donated by Frank Chmidling, used Jim Noll's woodworking shop in Nortonville to build replacement window frames. Those new frames are being stored in the church.

Another unique feature of the 43- by 33-foot building was a circular pulpit platform which is flanked by two doors, so latecomers had to enter in front of the whole congregation. That platform also went into the bell tower.

Originally, the church was lighted by four pull-down kerosene lamps, which later were replaced with electric lights. These lamps were found under the building. The association has only two partial lamps.

Sometime during the one-room church's history, a drop ceiling was installed. The association has removed that. It also plans to remove a particle board floor that had been laid on top the tongue and grove, and to refinish the old wood floor under it.

Other activities during the year at Cottonwood Station are the annual Threshing Show, the third Friday, Saturday and Sunday in July; and the Fall Festival in September.

The Meriden Antique Engine and Threshers Association still is looking to its future. This fall, members plan to begin installing new rest room facilities. The goal yet this year is to pour the footing and a concrete slab with the plumbing in it and continue to project next year.

John E. Chambers may be reached at (785) 234-6773 or by e-mail at jackpot3@swbell.net.

HORSE POWER DAYS

Event: Demonstrations of the horse as a means of powering farm and other equipment will be celebrated this weekend for about the 15th year.

- Gate hours will be 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday. Admission is $3, with kids under 6 and exhibitors admitted free.

JOHN CHAMBERS/THE CAPITAL-JOURNAL

Gary Bowen, of Meriden, stands in front of the general store at Cottonwood Station, one-fourth mile east of Meriden along K-4 highway.

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