On the Labor Day weekend of 2001 my friend Lee Brown and I traveled to Rollag (where the heck is Rollag?) Minnesota, population approximately 20, to attend the Western Minnesota Steam Thresher's Reunion. Rollag is near the North Dakota, Minnesota border. The reunion grounds cover over 200 acres and have a four day attendance of as many as 90,000 people. Four days are not really enough to visit all 90 buildings on the grounds. It is extremely well organized and unlike many such exhibitions it is extremely non commercial. Food is inexpensive, being served by church groups, and all souvenier sales are by the reunion only for the expansion and preservation of the reunion.

These fellows may not be steam threshers but they sure are old timers. The place was full of us.

OK. So this is not part of the reunion but it was part of our trip. I saw this when I was just a kid and it was interesting to see it again. If you are ever near Mitchell, SD it is worth making a visit to the Corn Palace. The design is changed every year with a new theme. The designs are made with ears of corn that are split and nailed to the sides of the building.

Neat Stuff to See