Dump Rake - Powell, WY
Posted by: T0SHEA
N 44° 45.155 W 108° 45.318
12T E 677676 N 4957917
Probably the most prosaic of the machines on display here, this is a simple hay rake.
Waymark Code: WMXXWJ
Location: Wyoming, United States
Date Posted: 03/14/2018
Views: 1
Dump rakes were given the name because they gathered the tines full of hay as the rake was pulled along the ground then, when the operator stepped on a release pedal, ground power lifted the tines and dumped the collected hay. This made picking up the hay quicker than walking all over the field and picking it up directly off the ground.
The rake could be used to simply drag the hay into piles, to be later forked onto wagons for the haul to the hay loft, etc., or it could create windrows by dragging hay perpendicular to the windrow, back and forth across the field, then dumping at the windrow. Either way it was very much labor intensive.
This rake was horse drawn, and probably raked many, many acres of hay in its life.
The Homesteader Museum is one of the most interesting museums we have visited. The director was there and she was so helpful and answered all of our inquiries. This is a free admission museum that is made possible by a benefactor. The museum will celebrate their 50th birthday in 2018.
There are numerous large displays divided by categories, such as household appliances, dentist and doctor offices, set as they were when operating, a photography and printing office, a post office, vintage clothing and haberdashery - the list just goes on.
They also have several outdoor displays housed in original buildings, one of which is the Bever Homestead, an original 1911 homestead house; also outside is a CB&Q Caboose and a large collection old farm equipment and tractors.