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At
the Historic H. Breeding Farm Reeves
enthusiasts and families are coming from as far west as Hutchinson,
Kansas and as far east as Lake Placid, New York to see the growing
collection of Reeves farm equipment, inventions and pulley history
that belongs to the Bartholomew County Historical Society. Take
a step back in time to when threshers went from farm to farm to
harvest the wheat crop with steam engines and threshing machines.
Other equipment will be in operation, too.
Corn Grinding, Rock Crushing, Hay Baling and other equipment
run by Reeves Gas Engines, including the Museum’s “newest” and
very rare 12 HP Reeves Gas Engine will be demonstrated. The
Indianapolis Motor Speedway Museum is loaning the 1898 Reeves
Motorcycle for the weekend.
It will be displayed along with the Historical Society’s 1907
Worth Auto with a Reeves Engine, a 1925 Reeves Pulley Co. Model TT
Flatbed Pick-up Truck, a 1902 16 HP Reeves Steam Traction Engine,
Water Wagons, Small Gas Engines and other Reeves Artifacts. Other
vintage Farm equipment that will be included in the display are a 1915
40 HP Case Steam Traction Engine, a 25 HP Gaar-Scott Steam Engine,
Line Shaft Displays, Rock Crusher, Corn Grinder and Hay Press along
with a variety of other gas engines. This
event will provide an opportunity to see history really come to life
with artifacts normally seen in a museum setting operation.
Come out to the Historic H. Breeding Farm to see what life was
like in the early 1900’s.
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The Reeves... |
 A Family of
Inventors |
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Columbus was a town like many others throughout the Midwest in the
1870s. It was primarily an agrarian community with no industry to speak of -
just a few mills. When the Reeves brothers moved to Columbus and brought their
company, The Hoosier Boy Cultivator Company, Columbus had its first real
industry. The company name was changed to Reeves and Co., and then in 1888 they
started the Reeves Pulley Co.
This was a different era in manufacturing, more of a hands-on management style. The men running the company knew all of the workers by name. They also knew how all of the machinery worked. It was said that if there was a problem with any machinery at Reeves Pulley, M.O. could diagnose the problem and tell how to fix it within minutes.
The Reeves family members held over 140 patents between them. Their foresight took them from cultivators to vari-speed transmissions to autos. The greatness of their inventions is evident in the fact that some of their inventions are still being manufactured with very few changes over 100 years later.
Their contribution to our community did not end in the business sector, but they also were pillars in their respective churches. They all devoted much time, money and leadership to their churches. Some supported the arts and others served in the city government. They were all family men and big family outings were common.
Columbus was a better place to live after the Reeves family decided to settle here.
Bartholomew County Historical
Society
524 Third Street Columbus, IN 47201
Phone (812)
372-3541 Fax (812)
372-3113
email bchs@tls.net