RUSHVILLE, Ind. — A rare Rumely 6 tractor, meticulously restored by Jack Maple and now owned by the Maple Douglass family, drew attention at the 2024 Pioneer Engineers Reunion in Rushville, Indiana. The model, a relic of early 20th-century farm innovation, represents the final push by the Advance-Rumely Company to compete in a rapidly evolving agricultural machinery market.
Produced in limited numbers—about 800 units—at the company’s facility in LaPorte, Indiana, the Rumely 6 and its variant, the 6A, were marketed as offering “six cylinders for the price of four” and “four-plow power with three-plow weight.” Despite the promise, the series failed to reverse Rumely’s fortunes. In 1931, Allis-Chalmers acquired the struggling company and completed the remaining assembly of the tractors. Central to the Rumely 6’s performance was its distinctive six-cylinder engine, built by Waukesha Engine Company—an engine manufacturer still in operation today, producing multi-cylinder models.
Where to See Antique Tractors This Summer
For enthusiasts who missed the Rumely 6 display, several upcoming events across Indiana offer opportunities to see vintage tractors and machinery in action:
Winamac Power Show (July 17–20, Winamac, Ind.)
Hosted by Northern Indiana Power from the Past, the 2025 Summer Tractor Show will highlight Ford tractors but welcomes all brands. The event features exhibits, demonstrations, a flea market, and food vendors. Activities begin daily at 9 a.m. EDT; admission is $5.
Pioneer Engineers Club of Indiana 77th Annual Reunion (July 31–Aug. 3, Rushville, Ind.)
Held at Pioneer Caldwell Acres, three miles south of Rushville, this event offers a broad display of vintage tractors, steam engines, and rare equipment. Keck-Gonnerman steam engines and Cockshutt tractors—alongside their U.S. counterpart, the Co-op—will be featured. The reunion includes daily plowing, threshing, and log sawing demonstrations, weather permitting, as well as parades on Friday through Sunday. Admission is $10 per day or $20 for all four days; children 12 and under enter free.
Indiana State Fair Pioneer Village (Aug. 1–17, Indianapolis, Ind.)
Located at the Indiana State Fairgrounds, Pioneer Village showcases antique tractors and historic farm equipment, including operational steam engines. Demonstrations such as threshing and log sawing are regularly scheduled. Entry is included with general fair admission.
Greensburg Power of the Past (Aug. 13–17, Greensburg, Ind.)
Set at the Decatur County Fairgrounds, this long-standing machinery show will spotlight Allis-Chalmers equipment but features a wide range of vintage models. Special attractions include antique tractor pulls, garden and horse pulls, adult pedal pull contests, and a weekend toy show. A modest admission fee applies.
As Indiana’s summer event season approaches, these shows promise a celebration of agricultural history and mechanical ingenuity, offering a closer look at the machines that helped shape rural America.
