The unique smell of unburnt hydrocarbons, the sound of huff, chuff, huff, chuff, POP, huff, chuff, huff, chuff, POP. These sensory stimulants exert a magnetic pull demanding observation and contemplation … and then the engine reaches tactile and radiant warmth. As a hand reaches out to feel the heat of internal combustion, a quest down the rabbit hole of history and legacy begins. Time becomes irrelevant. Immediate sensory perception captures the imagination and the intellect, and stimulates fascination. Hunger pangs cannot even penetrate this siren’s call.
It is entirely possible to enter a space without time or place — to go down the rabbit hole — while running engines in your backyard, at an engine show, or at the county fair. However, a visit to the Western Minnesota Steam Threshers Reunion (WMSTR) in Rollag, Minnesota, will provide this level of experience to anyone who attends.
What is the Western Minnesota Steam Threshers Reunion?
In 2022, the 68th annual gathering of the Western Minnesota Steam Threshers
