March 19, 2024

90-year-old steam engine continues parade tradition

A piece of history will once again be on display during the Fourth of July parade in Newton. A Minneapolis Steam Engine owned by the Jasper County Museum and formally owned by the Healy family will make its way along the parade route, celebrating its 90th birthday this year.

“My grandfather John Healy was a prominent farmer in Jasper County throughout the twentieth century. He operated a farm along the Skunk River bottom about four or five miles southwest of Newton,” Bryan Healy said.

In an area known as Healy’s bottom, John used the steam engine that was built in 1925 and he acquired during the depression. The 20 horse power Minneapolis steam traction engine weighs 26,000 pounds and was used to do farm work before rural electric had been installed. Healy ran a commercial saw mill operation with the engine and used it to provide power on the farm both in the fields and to run belt powered agricultural equipment through the early to mid-twentieth century.

“It was one of the very last steam engines built by the Minneapolis Threshing Machine Company and it was made right at the very end of manufacturing,” Healy said.

After taking an early interest in his grandfather’s farm power equipment Bryan’s father, Paul, negotiated the transfer of the steam engine to him. He owned it for 29 years and brought to various civic function through out the county.

“I acquired it in 1968 when I turned 15. My grandfather presented me with a bill of sale and I was one happy boy,” Healy said.

In 1997, Healy transferred the ownership of the steam engine to the Jasper County Museum. Healy said that sharing the heritage of the engine was something his grandfather would have wanted.

“We’ve run it in Newton’s Fourth of July parade every year since then,” Healy said.

Along with the Fourth of July parade, the engine took part in two very notable landmark events for Newton. It first participated in the city’s centennial celebration in 1957 and then again was a part of the sesquicentennial celebration in 2007.

“It’s been a fixture in Jasper County for 80 years,” Healy said.

Healy and the Jasper County Museum have also organized a steam school for those interested in learning how the engine works and how to run it.

“We teach safety operations of the boiler and the engine and general operating procedures. We also tell the history of the engine,” Healy said.

Even all of these year later, the engine still runs on its own power and is tested out a couple weeks before it makes its way downtown to the parade. The test run was successful showing the engine is in good shape and ready to participate in this years events.

“We want to make it a living exhibit on behalf of the Jasper County Museum. We are grateful to the museum for allowing us to operate their irreplaceable artifact,” he said.

Contact Jamee A. Pierson at 641-792-3121 ext. 6534 or jpierson@newtondailynews.com