Historic tractors emerge for annual weekend drive

PERRYVILLE, Mo. -- Nearly 200 tractors paraded through Perry County on Saturday for the fifth annual River Hills Antique Tractor Ride.

The 37-mile ride started at Seminary Picnic Grounds in Perryville, and included stops at the Perryville Nursing Home, Zion Lutheran Church in Crosstown, Mo., Mueller Fencing and the town of Brazeau, Mo. The new stop at Brazeau for lunch replaced last year's stop in Biehle, Mo. The parade wound up back at the picnic grounds late in the afternoon.

Coordinator Jerry Davis said the ride had about 195 tractors this year and 167 had already assembled by 6:30 a.m. The four groups were followed by a service truck with tow rope, to be used in the event of a breakdown. Participants included tractor riders from Missouri, Illinois, Arkansas, Kentucky and Tennessee.

"The ride brings a lot of money into the community," Davis said. "The three motels in Perryville are full on account of this. We always change our routes for people not acquainted with Perry County to become acquainted with it."

However, the Perryville Nursing Home will always remain on the route, Davis said.

Kevin Bachman, right, invited family and friends to his Crosstown home to watch the River Hills Antique Tractor Club parade on Saturday, July 28, 2007. (Kit Doyle)

Davis' youngest son, Tom, said he waved to the 40 or more seated outside the nursing home as they drove by. "At one point we got a little bottled up and you could see the older guys were reminiscing among themselves about tractors," he said.

The gold 1959 Ford 981 that Tom Davis drove stood out because of its color. Tom said it was recognized by its former owner, Curtis Kaufmann of Altenburg, who inquired about how the tractor was running and was pleased by the restoration the Davises had done.

"I've seen it in the parade at Old Timers Day they have here in Perryville," Kaufmann said. "It was a handy tractor. Like an old friend."

The gold color was a marketing appeal to introduce a new transmission. Kaufmann said, "When the dealers resold them, they were painted Ford colors, red and gray. This one just slipped through the cracks."

Brazeau is on an S-shaped curve of Route C about a quarter-mile long. About 300 were assembled in that section for lunch under a tent next to Brazeau Hall, not far from the maze of tractors parked tightly on the playground lot between Brazeau Museum and the hall.

cpagano@semissourian.com

335-6611, extension 133