John Deere Thresher - Powell, WY
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T0SHEA
N 44° 45.161 W 108° 45.288
12T E 677716 N 4957929
The largest of the pieces of agricultural equipment on display at the Homesteader Museum is this John Deere thresher.
Waymark Code: WMXXZ8
Location: Wyoming, United States
Date Posted: 03/14/2018
Views: 4
Looking at the photos one will notice two parts of the thresher that are galvanized, not painted John Deere Green. One is a Hart Grain Weigher which allows for easy filling of all grain sacks to the same weight. Manufactured by the Hart Carter Company of Peoria, Illinois, it sent grain down the chute in pre measured amounts allowing the filling of grain sacks one at a time. The grain weigher is the tiltable basket above the hopper above the grain output chute which can be swung out away from the body of the thresher.
The other is the Hart Carter feeder, which feeds the bundles into the cylinder at the front of the thresher. Both the feeder and the grain weigher are add ons which were used by many thresher manufacturers.
We can't say with any degree of certainty when John Deere began building threshers or when they stopped. They introduced their first combine in 1926, probably continuing to turn out threshers for a few more years. The sign mounted on the thresher indicates that the museum believes it to be of 1930s vintage, which may or may not be the case. Some of the other dates on signs at the museum are questionable.
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.
