Enthusiasts come to Brush from near and far

By Iva Kay Horner, Publisher/Editor

Brush News-Tribune

Posted:06/09/2009 02:27:00 AM MDT

BRUSH, Colo. - Not even the threat of thunderstorms was enough to keep collectors and enthusiasts away from Saturday's Cottonwood Forge Antique Tractor and Power Show.

According to those involved with the third annual event, approximately 73 tractors from throughout Colorado and western Kansas made their way to Exit 89 just off I-76 to participate in the show.

Tractors, vendors, and crafts came from as far away as Longmont, Denver, Grand Junction, Commerce City, North Glenn, Iliff, Broomfield, Lakewood, Arvada and Hays, Kansas, as did participants from Yuma, Haxton, Brush, Windsor, Weldona, Wray, Sterling, Orchard, Wiggins and Otis.

In addition to food, activities included a poker run with 19 participants, driving skill games, a rollin' pin throwing contest for the women, a garden tractor pull, the Parade of Power, live entertainment and a benefit auction.

Also returning for the event was the Sole Brothers Whistle Works of Denver.

While they did not have to travel far for the show, Roger and Barb Holter, who also assisted show organizer and promoter Sam Dembitsky with the event, brought four of their 15 tractors for the display.

Among their prized possessions were a 1939 John Deere H, a 1951 John Deere R and a 1941 John Deere L, as well as their first purchase and restoration, a 1949 John Deere D.The "D", said Barb, was purchased 15 years ago for $500 as a birthday present for her husband.

Purchased from John Killough, who resides south of Brush, the 2-cylinder John Deere engine features three forward and one reverse speed, as well as a 38.2 horsepower drawbar and belt pulley.

"Roger tore it down piece by piece by piece," said Barb, adding that her husband performs all of the mechanical, body work and paint to their tractors as well.

Their tractors have been purchased from all over with the "H" coming from the Western Slope, the "R" from the Longmont area and the "L" purchased on Ebay about 100 miles south of Chicago. This piece of equipment made its way to the Holter farm by way of a refrigerator truck accompanied by a half-load of pickles, she laughed.

Although Roger refurbished the "H" in a slow manner, and the "R" is what they call "a work in progress," he managed to finish the "L" in only eight months. "I use it in the garden with a cultivator," he explained.

With a total of 15 in their fleet, 14 are John Deere, with the other an Allis Chalmer, also known as "Barb's pumpkin".

But it's not only the men in the family that are tractor enthusiasts as Barb stated, "I'm just as bad as they are when it comes to buying them."

Bringing their Gibson tractors just a bit further were Larry Kage of Fort Morgan and Bill Pitt of Weldona.

While Kage owns seven Gibson tractors of various models, and which were manufactured in Longmont from 1946 to 1952, he brought his Super D2 1948 to the Brush show that, when located by his father-in-law and purchased in 1984, he "had to drag it out of 24 inches of snow".

Pitt's 1949 SD2 Gibson was purchased around five years ago "from the bed of a pick up in Paonia," he stated. "It had sat there for about eight years," the Weldona resident explained, adding, "I paid $80 for it and have put about $400 in the brakes and another $400 in the transmission."

Other than one year in age, the main difference between the two, is that Pitt's tractor does not feature a steering wheel, but instead, is driven using a lever on the right side.

According to the men, these tractors were originally intended for use on small farms and orchards, as they were built with the intention of serving as an all-purpose piece of equipment. In addition to tractors, the company also produced discs, dozers and plows, along with other pieces of equipment.

The company, which got its start in Seattle, Washington in March 1946 by Harry Gibson, moved to Longmont in 1948 under the auspices of Wilbur Gibson.

According to the company website, the decision to produce tractors at Longmont was partially done to "escape a setting where pressure to unionize was great".

In addition to tractors, the Gibson company also was engaged in the production of forklifts under government contract for the Navy during the late 1940's and early 1950's.

Unfortunately, tractor production had ceased in 1952, when the company was sold to Helene Curtis Industries of Chicago, Illinois, which, in turn organized it as a division of Fox Metal Company of Denver. While the intent was to re-establish tractor production in Denver, instead for approximately seven months in 1953, tractor parts were sold out of the Denver plant but no tractors were made.

Production interests were then "leased" to a newly formed company known as Western American Industries in Longmont. This company made approximately 1,000 model D's, SD's, and Super D's before competition forced it out of the marketplace in 1958.

Gibson tractors were sold throughout the United States and in 26 foreign countries.

In an ad dated March 25, 1957, the list price of the "D" tractor was $760, with the "SD" at $810. The Super D was quoted at $845.

When purchased as new many years ago, Pitt's tractor, along with a dozer, disc and plow, cost the original owner $1,071, which shows on the paperwork the Weldona resident possesses.

Both men continue to utilize their tractors, mainly in the garden, pushing snow and for Pitt, who spent 25 to 30 years in the construction industry, "moving a lot of dirt".

Kage, who is a member of the Gibson Tractor Club and an employee with Leprino Foods for the past 14 1/2 years, also made sure his Super D2 1948 was in prime condition for the 1996 event held at the Longmont fairgrounds, celebrating the 50th anniversary of the making of the tractor. "There were about 150 there," he stated.

Also assisting Dembitsky with this year's show were the Holters, Tom and Donna Goeken, Bruce Fyfe, Ed and Delane Gagen, Duane Dickey and Dick Dedrick.