Gears, glory and good times
Smoky Mountain Tractor Show brings vintage machines, passionate collectors and curious crowds to Anderson County
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George Hackler of Harriman works to get his 1925-era Centaur farm tractor started on Friday morning during last weekend’s Smoky Mountain Antique Engine and Tractor Show at Anderson County High School. Looking on are Frank Littleton, left, and David Walker. - G. Chambers Williams III
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Jessica Dillard sells a birdhouse to Almeda Lewis as Tim Price looks on during the Smoky Mountain Antique Engine and Tractor Show last Friday at Anderson County High School. Price said his father, Earl Price, made the birdhouses. - G. Chambers Williams III
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Kathy Day, secretary-treasurer of the Smoky Mountain Antique Engine and Tractor Association, stands with a 1950 John Deere tractor entered in last weekend’s show at Anderson County High School by her and her husband, John. The other five tractors behind her were also brought to the show by the Days. - G. Chambers Williams III
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John Bell looks over a 1931 Model A Ford as Todd Burns looks on from his chair during last weekend’s 43rd-annual Smoky Mountain Antique Engine and Tractor Show. These vintage Fords were brought to the show by the Smoky Mountain Model A Ford Club. - G. Chambers Williams III
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Martin Shafer works to start his 1949 Hornsby engine from England during last Friday’s Smoky Mountain Antique Engine and Tractor Show in Clinton. Helping are Richard Johnson, left, and Drew Shafer. - G. Chambers Williams III
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These vintage trucks were among vehicles on display during last weekend’s Smoky Mountain Antique Engine and Tractor Show. - G. Chambers Williams III
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Visitors to the tractor show last Friday look over a line of the antiques as rain clouds move in across the sky above. - G. Chambers Williams III
The weather mostly cooperated last Friday and Saturday to help bring out the crowds to see dozens of antique tractors and other classic machines during the 43nd-annual Smoky Mountain Antique Engine and Tractor Show.
Held the second weekend in June every year, the show is the biggest event of the year for the Clinton-based Smoky Mountain Antique Engine and Tractor Association
In front of Anderson County High School, the show featured a wide range of antique tractors, including one put together from a variety of Centaur tractors from several years around 1925, and owned by longtime club member George Hackler of Harriman.
With help from some friends, Hackler got the old hodgepodge of a tractor running on Friday morning after an hour or more of tinkering.
He’s had it just a few years, he said, but it had been owned by club member Elmer Anderson since 1961, he said.
Kathy Day and her husband, John, brought six tractors to the event, including a 1946 John Deere belonging to her dad, Wayne Kerr, who has been a member of the club since 1996.
Day said she has been a club member since 2008, and secretary-treasurer of the club since 2011.
Martin Shafer brought a vintage Hornsby’s industrial gasoline engine to the show, and worked on it for a while Friday morning until he got it running. It was made in England in 1949, he said. He was using it to run a wood lathe.
John Bell of Clinton brought a 1931 Model A Ford sedan to the show, which was there among other exhibits by the Smoky Mountain Model A Ford Club.
There were vendors present, too, including Tim Price, who had dozens of colorful and creatively built birdhouses for sale, all built by his 91-year-old father, Earl Price, of Mountain City.
“Dad has been making the bird houses for the past 30 years, since he retired, Price said.
Mira Hausser of Halls, who produces the club’s newsletter, said the Smoky Mountain Tractor group also participates in other events throughout each year, including “tractor drives, the TVA Fair, the Dandridge Hot Air Balloon Festival and more.”
