The Hancock-Henderson Quill, Inc.
by Dessa Rodeffer- Quill Publisher-Owner
The 5th Annual Stronghurst Fall Festival picked a beautiful Saturday to host their event on September 14th. It preceded the usual Heritage Trails weekend which is this Saturday and Sunday 28-29, to allow people the opportunity to attend the Stronghurst activities without conflicts.
It was enjoyable showing visitors, Larry and Patsy Louden of Hot Springs, Arkansas, the busy festival which included the 2nd annual car show put on by Brent Kennedy and Jeff Nichols down Broadway Street with cars of all eras, plus some unique custom designed vehicles.
Stronghurst was shining and the car show was fantastic!
I had to introduce Larry Louden to one of the amazing cars on display by owner Bill Maxwell-rural Biggsville, an active American Airlines pilot since Larry is a retired US Air Force pilot and a retired TWA pilot.
Bill (pictured far right) was showing his unique car he had custom built that simulates an airplane cockpit. He has incorporated many other unordinary features taken from his interest in airplanes. You had to see it to believe it!
Every car on display had an interesting story behind it, and if you didn't take time to go to the car show, you missed out on a lot!
One special story is the 1957 Oldsmobile 88 belonging to Gary Ricketts. It won best of show last year and was pictured on this year's plaques, looking beautiful.
The Oldsmobile was purchased new by his parents and, he said, that he was even a passenger in the car before he was born, as his dad Dean Ricketts, drove his mother Nancy from Oquawka to the Burlington Hospital on the day Gary was born on March 13, 1959.
He said the car is pretty much the same now than it was bak then, but he added an overdrive tranmission in 1985 and 4-wheel disc brakes with the help of Metal Crafters in Monmouth, a popular car shop located in the old Monmouth Pottery building behind the new Caseys Super Store.
Gary has his classic Oldsmobile polished and shiny white with the red original trim which sets of the nice red and black two-tone leather bucket seats.
Gary's first trophy dates back to 1975 when he displayed his Oldsmobile 88 in a car show in Burlington, IA on Jefferson Street. Since then he says he's been to a "ba-zillion" auto shows.
One year he displayed his car at 25 different shows, which is the most he's ever attended in one yea. But this year, with weather and family obligations, the Stronghurst show was his 4th show.
It was fun to look through Gary's scrapbook of his car, family, and the restoration work that he has done over the years. Some people roll their car into a restoration shop and in a few weeks or a month later, it's all finished.
But more often, like Gary, it takes time. Gary said he would have to save up, and then he could get that item finished, and then save up some more money to do the next thing.
Probably the two oldest cars at the Stronghurust Fall Festival third annual car show were owned by Eric Chockley of Stronghurst. He displayed his 1921 Model T Ford Speedster which is a bright yellow convertible he calls "The Bumble Bee" that he bought 7 years ago. It will travel at 35 mph, just enough to cruise along and actually smell the roses.
The other antique Eric had on display was his 1931 Model A 2UDUR from the "Bonnie and Clyde" era. He said he and his wife have actually dressed up as Bonnie and Clyde for the full effect of the era.
At home, Eric also has a black 1915 Model T Ford touring car 4-door convertible he bought in 1996 - his first antique. He said, "I didn't bring it because it has a lot of brass to polish!"
There was a large array of vehicles plus a line of tractors between Security Bank and the park. Those who take time to come with their cars and stories of yesteryear, let others reclaim forgotten memories of the past, and it's really a good family event to visit about those good-ole-days.