INNISFAIL – It was 47 years ago just before a big summer-time homecoming celebration for the 65th anniversary of the Central Alberta hamlet of Endiang when Ken Halverson noted an interesting old relic sitting in the weeds with nesting birds hovering.
It looked to be an old tractor in a neighbouring farmer’s yard and the curious Halverson was intrigued. He asked the owner about it.
“He told me I could have it, so I took it home and got it running, and then we painted it at that time for that homecoming. It took a little work to get it running and we got it running through the parade, and had it sitting in front of the auction market in Hanna for years,” said Halverson, who farmed south of Endiang but is now a resident of Hanna. “It’s a neat little tractor. There wasn’t that many made.”
Later, the tractor was offered to the Hanna Pioneer Village and Museum but there were no takers, said Halverson.
“They said, ‘we don’t have room for this and we don’t have room for that.' I said, ‘Ok, you’re not getting it then,” said Halverson.
But Innisfail is getting it.
The board of the Innisfail and District Historical Society voted in favour on Dec. 7 to accept Halverson’s offer to acquire the old tractor he rescued from the weeds in 1975.
In November, Halverson received a visit from Lawrence Gould, the project manager at the Innisfail and District Historical Village and Coun. Jason Heistad, Innisfail town council’s current representative to the historical society board.
“Lawrence made a formal presentation to the board just to make sure there was an understanding of the importance of the tractor and how it will fit in the historical village come the spring and summer when it will be permanently brought home to be displayed,” said Heistad.
As for Halverson, he could not be happier the historically significant agricultural relic will be preserved for future generations.
“I'd wanted to see it go somewhere where it's going to be under cover and looked after,” said Halverson.
And it’s not just any old tractor. The historical piece of farm machinery is a Wallis tractor model 12-20 that is at least 95-years-old and was shipped to Canada in 1927.
The Wallis Tractor Company was formally organized in Racine, Wis. in 1912. It merged with J.I. Case Plow Works in 1919.
Operating from a factory in Cleveland until one could be built in Racine, the tractor’s unit frame revolutionized tractor design.
In 1928 the company was bought out by Massey-Harris. The Wallis brand remained until 1932 when Massey-Harris opted to use its own.
Gould is excited with the acquisition of the Wallis tractor model 12-20 as it will complement the historical village’s existing Wallis 20-30 model, which has been at the village for at least the past 20 years.
“That's why I wanted to have the two of them together,” said Gould. “The way they built that tractor was a revolution in the way they built tractors because it was made much stronger and it done away with the need for a frame. The motor transmission and differential were bolted all together, making a really strong frame in itself. It didn't need an extra frame around it.”
In the meantime, the historical village will wait until spring to pick up its new prized Wallis tractor model 12-20. Heistad said Halverson has agreed to store it until then.
He said the village has a plan, possibly for next year, to have a formal exhibit of the two Wallis tractors.
“It's one of a kind in Canada to have these two tractors side by side,” said Heistad.
