Arguably Westlock’s biggest draw, the Canadian Tractor Museum, is set to open this Victoria Day long weekend.
Nestled between the rail line and 96 Avenue and boasting over 80 vintage tractors and static engines on display, the attraction is an engaging journey through the history of farming technology.
Additions to the collection for 2015 are a Marshall 25 hp static engine, a one-of-a-kind home built tractor and a fully restored, late 1940s REO Speed Wagon.
“We have a couple of new items that will be coming in, but haven’t made room inside for them yet,” said Rod McFarlane, president of Westlock and District Tractor Museum. “Every two or three years we go through and realign them.
“But that means taking everything out on a nice day and starting again.”
Along with the tractors and engines, on display are hundreds of tractor and farming models, toys, posters, manuals and marketing devices.
The museum is laid out in simple-to-follow pathways that guide visitors though the genesis of tractors and the companies that made them.
But it’s more than just tractors in a row, as up close you get to see how the farming tools have changed from fixed-steam engines that drove huge belts to slick farm machinery stylized to its time.
“What we try and show is the evolution of the farm tractor,” McFarlane said. “It’s the history of the farm tractor in this area, and the same with the stationary engines, we try to show their uses and how they were applied to the farms.”
The museum exists because of the hard work of a group of dedicated volunteers over about 15 years.
The sizable collection came from members of the Westlock Vintage Tractor Club who wanted to share their restorations with the community.
“When we started there was a tractor club in town, it’s still going, and the guys would rebuild their own tractors and engines,” McFarlane said. “They decided they needed some place to start displaying them.”
In total there about 100 tractors and 50 static engines, as well as many more artifacts in the collection.
All but one tractor — a 1938 Massey Harris Model 25 — are full restored to working condition, many of them like they would have rolled off the factory floor.
The rusted Massey Harris 25 has been left as a comparison to the fully restored pieces and side-by-side it gives an insight into the restoration process.
The museum is always taking on new machines and implements, although McFarlane said that now the museum looks to fill gaps in its collection.
“Basically, people come to us with items they would like to put in the museum,” he said. “We have a committee that selects what would fit with what we’ve got, because we don’t want five of one thing.
That’s mainly because there isn’t enough room as the museum’s large display hall is packed with items.
Apart from regular viewings, highlights of the 2015 season include the vintage tractor club’s annual show June 6-7, the ag fair on Aug. 21-23.
The tractor show includes vintage tractor demonstrations, a parade of antique tractors, kids activities and tractor pulls.
“Our tractor pull is a fun one, we don’t weigh in, you can put them in and test them where you want to,” McFarlane said.
Entry to the museum is included in the admission price to both events. At other times admission is $6 for adults, $3 for children aged between seven and 12, while kids six and under are free.
“We do offer tours, but also people like to come and just look around on their own as there is information on each unit.” McFarlane said.
The Canadian Tractor Museum opens Victoria Day long weekend and will run through until Thanksgiving. Regular hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. seven days a week.
