RANTOUL, Ill. (WAND) – The Half Century of Progress show is the largest vintage farm equipment show in the United States, featuring hundreds of antique tractors and tens of thousands of visitors. Most are 50 years old or more and still operating.
“Seems like it grows every year [with] the amount of tractors and people coming. The word of mouth and every year it just keeps getting bigger,” Derek Harms told WAND News.
Harms' father was the founder of the show, which began in 2003. It moved to the former Chanute Air Force Base in Rantoul in 2005, where the show is still located today.
An example of one of the displays includes the International Harvester model 1206. There are more than 200 1206 tractors on hand. They are the first IH model that had 100-horsepower engines.
Cooler, dry weather greeted the show, which runs through Sunday.
Tickets are $20 for adults and children under 12 get in free.
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