If you ever find yourself complaining about your construction machinery, think about how hard it must have been 50 or even 100 years ago. Better yet, take the opportunity to see equipment from that time period in action.
At the 21st annual National Convention and Old Equipment Exposition of the Historical Construction Equipment Association, you can see both operating and static exhibits of construction machinery from the early and mid 1900s. The operating exhibits will feature narrated demonstrations of antique tractors, scrapers, shovels, backhoes, graders and rollers, while the static exhibit will have fully restored equipment from both the museum’s collection and HCEA members’ personal inventories. Local tractor and antique truck groups will also participate.
Products of the former Galion Iron Works of Galion, Ohio, which was founded in 1907 and manufactured motor and pull graders, steam and internal combustion rollers, wheeled scrapers and hydraulic cranes, will also be displayed.
Exhibitors and vendors of construction toys, scale models, sales literature and other collectible memorabilia will be on hand, and a fundraising auction to benefit HCEA will be held. Kids will be able to play in a sandbox full of construction toys, and a ladies’ tour of Historic Sauder Village in Archbold, Ohio, will take place during the convention.
The HCEA is a non-profit organization dedicated to preserving the history of the construction, dredging and surface mining equipment industries for public education. The convention will be held Sept. 15-17 at the National Construction Equipment Museum near Bowling Green, Ohio. Admission is $4 per person per day, with a weekend pass available for $10.
