In today’s society, everything is automated. Our phones keep us on time for appointments, computers track our purchases and suggest things we might like, and even our bills come arrive by email every month. Some of these advancements are useful and make us more productive, while others get in the way and make our lives more complicated. But right in Talbot County lies a place where we can step back from all these distractions and spend quality time fantasizing about how things used to be in the “good old days.”

Tuckahoe Steam and Gas Association is on Route 50 in Easton. Each July, the organization has a steam and gas show, where members and guests come to showcase antique farm equipment, household machines, and everyday tools of different trades that were common locally. Many of the items displayed at the show are owned by locals and have been passed down through generations of Eastern Shore residents. If you ask, most owners will gladly tell you of their family’s heritage and how they came to own their prized possessions.

Along with the vast amounts of local heritage on display, the steam and gas show also prides itself on having an astounding number of live and functional exhibits that really show what it was like to live in the old days. Did you ever wonder how bread was made way back when? Take a few minutes to watch the draft horses power the “horse sweep,” a machine that uses the horses’ strength to power a “threshing machine” that helps separate wheat into its different parts, some of which were processed into ingredients for bread. This same process still exists today, except it happens in much fewer steps and mostly occurs in a large factory. You can then take a walk down to the Rural Life Museum and see a kitchen set-up from the early 1900s. Just imagine the smell of freshly baking bread on a Sunday morning.

Visitors can also see small gas engines powering early washing machines, steam tractors powering larger farm equipment, and even the inner workings of a belt-driven factory in the machine shop.

Another great part of the steam and gas show is the colonial crafts and handmade products on display. In the Colonial Crafts building, take a step back and see how clothing was made from the early 1700s to today. One of the most popular items is a barn loom dated to be from the 1750s; it is fully functional and still in great condition. Other crafters in the building will be demonstrating many early techniques such as weaving, knitting, crocheting, spinning wool into yarn, and even basket making. Believe it or not, all clothing today is still made using these early techniques; high-speed machines in factories knit and weave threads together to make the fabric for shirts, pants, and even your high-tech winter coats that seem to be made from thin plastic.

Of course, while visiting the steam and gas show, get something to eat. The kitchen serves all the fair favorites, including burgers, fries, and chicken tenders. Or, head over to the Sub Shop and get a delicious Cold Cut, a favorite at the show. In the evenings, the kitchens also serve chicken dinners, an Eastern Shore favorite that includes fried chicken, sweet corn, and many other tasty options. There are also several vendors around the grounds serving ice cream, snow cones, and different types of fried treats.

Each year, the steam and gas show features a specific type or brand of equipment to encourage owners to bring out their pieces for everyone to see. This year, the feature is “steel-wheeled machines.” In the early days of tractors, before tires, the main mode of transportation was heavy steel wheels that were flat or had cleats.

The steam and gas show is family-friendly and welcome to all ages and groups. Guests are encouraged to come enjoy the festivities and learn a little bit more about how the world worked back in the day; it might just give you that ‘brain break,’ you’ve been needing. For more information about the annual steam and gas show, visit Tuckahoe Steam and Gas on Facebook or tuckahoesteam.org.

Schedule

Thursday, July 5

Noon National Anthem, Flag Raising, Invocation, Whistle Blows for Dinner

12:15 p.m. Welcome Address by Club President

1-6 p.m. Demonstrations

Friday, July 6

7-10 a.m. Breakfast served

8-10 a.m. Preparation of Exhibits and Firing of Engines

10 a.m. National Anthem and Flag Raising, Invocation

10:15 a.m. Welcome Address by Club President

10:30-Noon Demonstrations

Noon Whistle Blows for Dinner

1-6 p.m. Demonstrations

5 p.m. Grand Parade of Equipment

5:30-8 p.m. Blue Grass Music by Flat Land Drive

6 p.m. Mini Horse Pull

7:30 p.m. Draft Horse Pull

Saturday, July 7

7-10 a.m. Breakfast served

8-10 a.m. Preparation of Exhibits and Firing of Engines

10 a.m. National Anthem and Flag Raising, Invocation

10:15 a.m. Welcome Address by Club President

10:30-Noon Demonstrations

10:30 a.m. Consignment Auction

Noon Whistle Blows for Dinner

1 p.m. Kiddie Pedal Tractor Pull

1-6 p.m. Demonstrations

3 p.m. Garden Tractor Pull

5 p.m. Grand Parade of Equipment

7:30 p.m. Music by the Jones Boys

Sunday, July 8

7-10 a.m. Breakfast served

9-10 a.m. Church Services, Stage Area

10 a.m. National Anthem and Flag Raising, Invocation

10:15 a.m. Welcome Address by Club President

10:30-Noon Demonstrations

Noon Whistle Blows for Dinner

1-3 p.m. Demonstrations

Featuring

Steel wheeled and track tractors

Copar-Panzer garden tractors

Oil field engines

Demonstrations

Blacksmithing

Wheat threshing – Horse power

Steam power

Saw mills – Steam power

Gas tractor power

Shingle sawing

Rock crushing

Engine horsepower test

Spinning

Caning

Weaving

Broom making

Basket weaving

Cobbler repairs

Machine shop

Tack machine

Wire cloth machine

And many more…

On Display

Antique gas tractors

Steam traction engines

Steam Stationary engines

Antique gas engines

Horse drawn equipment

Garden tractors

Rural life displays

Fire truck

Antique cars and trucks

Antique farm implements

Small displays too numerous to mention

Special Items

Flea markets

Crafts

Colonial crafts

Train rides

Model train displays

Kiddie pedal pull

Auction

For More Information

For general info call 410-822-9868

For flea market space call 410-490-8156

For craft space call 410-438-3709

Visit www.tuckahoesteam.org.