This program was made at Historic
Prairie Village in Madison, SD. The 120-acre site has several blocks of
streets like any small town. It’s populated with structures moved here
from surrounding small communities and farms. A two-mile railroad
encircles the village and farmland. The two annual events held at
Prairie Village are well-covered here.
Railroad Days is held during
the summer. Steam and diesel engines depart from the Wentworth Depot.
Former Duluth & Northeastern #29 is an 0-6-0 built by Lima in 1944.
It started service in the Army before serving various industries until
retirement in 1964. Also seen in service is former US Air Force
center-cab #1687, several track speeders, and a reproduction
“doodlebug”.
We returned to film the Steam
Threshing Jamboree, which is held Thursday through Sunday the week
before Labor Day weekend. Everything from horse-powered threshers to
homemade pumps to giant steam tractors stood row upon row.
Demonstrations of steam and gas-powered milling equipment are followed
by horse teams patiently powering a thresher. Corn is separated from
cob, and wheat from chaff. Hay is baled. Furrows are turned as vintage
tractors and their owners compete in plowing contests. During the day,
proud farm families parade their vintage equipment. In the evenings,
newer machines compete in raucous tractor pulls.
