NEW CENTERVILLE ― The Somerset County community is gearing up for the 72nd annual Farmers and Threshermens Jubilee , Sept. 4-8. Sponsored by the New Centerville and Rural Volunteer Fire Co., the event benefits the fire company.
More: Readers can name Laurel Highlands Best Destination for fall foliage
New Centerville Rural Volunteer Fire Co. has been serving the community with volunteers since 1949. This year the company has about 70 active firefighters, covering approximately 110 square miles of rural Somerset County.In September 1953, the Farmers and Threshermens Jubilee originated in a field owned by E.R. Mosholder. It was held there each year until May 14, 1957, when the department bought two parcels of land from Jesse and Mary Geary and Jeremiah and Minnie Pletcher in New Centerville Borough, where the fire company erected a large storage building called the “Museum Hall” in 1958, according to the fire department website.
Old-fashioned agriculture industry
The Jubilee features many demonstrations of the early farming industry, including a steam-powered cider mill, groundhog thresher flailers, horsepower with tumbling shaft machine, first steam engine threshing with hand feeding, self feeder threshing, baling up straw, dog-powered butter churning, flour mill, antique power saws, handle machine, broom making, steam-powered sawmill and shingle making, corn shelling, corn shredding, blacksmithing, stone crusher, feed grinder machine, 75 horse power Fairbanks Morris Engine, 150 horsepower Reeves Propane Gas Engine, 800 horsepower Chicago Pneumatic Diesel Engine, antique tractors, hit & miss gas engines and steam engine plowing.There will be wood carving demonstrations Wednesday through Saturday. Calliope, sponsored by Michael J. Miller Family, will be held Friday and Saturday at the top of the hour ― 11 a.m., 12 p.m., 1 p.m., 2 p.m., 3 p.m.