1919 Avery Grain Thresher/Separator

A threshing machine or thresher is a device that first separates the head of a stalk of grain from the straw, and then further separates the kernel from the rest of the head.

A rare feature of this machine is the folding stalk elevator or conveying belt. The iron wheels are intact and it is complete and original in condition, including the mustard yellow paint and red ornamental line design/pin stripe. Its nickname was “Yellow Fellow” due to its distinctive paint color.

*Avery had its beginnings in farm equipment at Galesburg, Illinois, establishing a small factory there in 1877. Seven years later, the company moved to Peoria, Illinois. In 1891, it began building grain threshers, first under the title of Avery & Rouse Steam Thresher Company. The Avery Company was incorporated in 1907. By that time, Yellow Fellows were in use all over the United States as well as in many foreign countries. *From the Encyclopedia of American Farm Implements and Antiques by C. H. Wendel.

The 1919 Avery Grain Thresher/Separator was donated to Agrarian Country in August, 2009, by Eugene W. Freet of Elizabethtown, Pennsylvania in remembrance of his father, Eugene S. Freet of Hershey, Pennsylvania.

1899 Gruber Wagon

The Gruber Wagon was manufactured by The Gruber Wagon Works. The company was moved from its original location near Mt. Pleasant, Pennsylvania and is now located at the Berks County, Pennsylvania Heritage Center. Franklin H. Gruber began making farm-use wagons in the 1870's, and as demand increased, he built the Wagon Works. It remained a family-owned business until it closed in 1971. It was unusual for its time because all of its processes were under one roof.

The Gruber Wagon Works survives as one of the most complete examples of an integrated rural manufactory of its kind in the nation. Erected in 1882 by Franklin H. Gruber, the wagon works evolved from a single craftsman shop, having a variety of specialized hand tools, into a family-operated business which employed up to 20 men who utilized mass-production methods. Unlike a modern assembly process, wagon parts were transported back and forth between various rooms in order to complete a segment of the work.

Originally, the Wagon Works was on the Licking Creek, about 1000 feet from where it flows into the Tulpehocken Creek. The Licking Creek was used to supply power for the machines in the early days of the Wagon Works. Part of the creek was diverted to run through the basement, turning a small water wheel before flowing back into the creek. With increases in business, the Wagon Works modernized. A steam engine was installed in 1896, replaced in 1906 by a gasoline-powered engine, which was used through the 1950's. The water diverted from the creek was still used, only now to cool off the engine.

One of the keys to the success of the Wagon Works was its use of patterns. Having a pattern for each part meant that less work had to be done in sizing the pieces and the wagon could be built faster and more efficiently. With more wagons being built, more orders could be taken, and more money flowed into the business. During slow times, they would build extra parts to have some ready for the future.

As a family business, the Gruber’s were very concerned about the safety of their workers. They put in special safeguards, such as barriers on saws and other machinery to keep workers from cutting their hands while using them. During its entire operation, there were no major accidents.

No glue was used in the wagons; instead, the parts were fitted tight enough that they stayed together by themselves.

The paint they used was linseed oil-based and had to be mixed every morning. The body of the wagon was always painted green, while the chassis was always painted red. Intricate scrollwork was done on the sides of the wagon by hand.

With the advent of the automobile, demand for horse-drawn wagons decreased. To keep in business, the Gruber’s began making wooden truck bodies and socket wrenches for cars. One auto dealer had a deal where he would give a complete set of wrenches, made at the Wagon Works, to everyone who bought a Model-T.

After 1956, until it finally closed in 1971, the Wagon Works was a wagon repair shop. The ultimate dominance of the automobile and modern farm equipment meant that the services of the Wagon Works were no longer needed.

Excerpts about Gruber Wagon Works were taken from www.countyofberks.com, a website managed by the Government of the County of Berks, Pennsylvania.

1887 – 1897 Moon Brothers Doctor’s Buggy (also called a “Plug Buggy”)

The Doctor's Buggy includes the following features: three-bow lined top, piano box body style, buttoned upholstered seat, rear back lid, two elliptic springs, and one-horse covered shafts.

The Moon Brothers Carriage Company of St. Louis, Missouri, was organized by brothers, Joseph W. Moon and John Corydon Moon, in the early 1880’s as a wholesale manufacturer of horse-drawn carriages and buggies. Before establishing the company, both brothers had careers as photographers and operated a livery business. In 1883, there were over 50 carriage manufacturers in St. Louis; however, the Moon Brothers Carriage Company quickly won a national reputation for the excellence of its products and unquestionably became “the largest concern of its kind in St. Louis” by 1895.

In 1893, Joseph sold his half-share of the firm to his brother, John, and opened his own firm, the Joseph W. Moon Buggy Company. In 1902, while at a Detroit carriage makers' convention, he was inspired to manufacture an automobile. By 1905, he had devoted a portion of his factory to the new vehicle's development.

John was the vice-president of the Olive Street Bank and director of the Missouri-Lincoln Trust Company. At the time of his death, Mr. Moon was president of the Landis Machine Company, which was engaged in the manufacture of harness stitching machines.

1956 International Harvester Tractor (“Series C”)

International Harvester Company (IHC or IH; now known as Navistar International Corporation) was an agricultural machinery, construction equipment, vehicle, commercial truck, and household and commercial products manufacturer. In 1924, IH introduced the Farmall tractor, a smaller general-purpose tractor, designed to meet the needs of the average American family. The Farmall was the first tractor in the United States to incorporate a tricycle-like design (or row-crop front axle). The 'letter' series of Raymond Loewy-designed Farmall tractors in 1939 proved to be a huge success, and IH enjoyed a sales lead in tractors and related equipment that continued through much of the 1940s and 1950s, despite stiff competition from Ford, John Deere, and other tractor manufacturers.

Hereford Hogs

In the early 1800’s, a strain of hogs whose color markings resembled the red and white markings of Hereford cattle was developed by Mr. R.U. Weber of LaPlata, Missouri. This explains the name, “Hereford Hogs.” The Hereford hog is a heritage breed and heritage breeds are of special interest to Agrarian Country. Hereford hogs are prolific, have quiet dispositions, and wean large litters. They mature at an early age, and with proper care will reach 200 to 250 pounds at five to six months of age. They are good rustlers, easy to confine in pastures and lots, and easy feeders.

Two Hereford hogs (male and female), named “Romeo and Juliet,” were donated to Agrarian Country in 2009 by Garry and Lori Richardson of Glen Campbell, Pennsylvania. Romeo and Juliet are registered with the National Hereford Hog Record Association, have bred, and are expecting their first litter this summer.

Thoroughbred Horses

The Star Barn Thoroughbreds at Agrarian Country has been donated numerous top-drawer Thoroughbreds for its programs and operation. Donors include William J. Solomon, VMD (New Freedom, Pennsylvania), Dale Chamber (Vernon, New York), Charlotte Wrather (Los Alamos, California), Ronald and Barbara Rickline (Gettysburg, Pennsylvania), and William Duggan (Los Angeles, California).

1936 Dodge Truck and Ambulance

Through an agreement with the American Museum of Veterinary Medicine, Agrarian Country now has in its collection a 1936 Dodge ambulance truck, complete with siren (bell) and lights, as well as a large animal veterinary ambulance formerly used by the Philadelphia Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals to pick up sick and injured large animals. This antique ambulance may have been horse-drawn originally and later adapted to motorized transport. It was built around the 1920s and is eight-feet high. Frank Jarret of Hatboro, Pennsylvania donated the ambulance to the AMVM. The ambulance is in need of restoration.