Who Would Have Thought, Tractors In Page, AZ?

Page sits as far as you can get on the northern border of Arizona over looking beautiful Lake Powell which flows into Glen Canyon through the formidable Glen Canyon Dam providing lots of boating activities. Page is also bordered by BLM land to the West and the Navajo Nation to the East, all picturesque high desert settings of tumbling weeds, and colorful sandy cliffs and slot canyons most tourists are expecting to see.

Why is it then, that as they arrive at the eastern edge of Page, either coming in on Hwy 98 from Colorado or the new 98T (N20) from Flagstaff, the first thing visitors see is a Pueblo style convenience store surrounded by antique tractors and other old farm and construction equipment?

It all began with two farm boys. One raised NW Colorado and the other who started out in Kansas. Life eventually took them away from the farm and brought them to Page, AZ, where they met and found they shared a love for all things old and mechanical.

Together they began acquiring old construction and farm equipment and attending tractor events in Southern UT and around AZ. They joined the CCAMA club out of Washington, UT, branch 134, of EDGE&TA, (a national tractor organization providing access to tractor liability insurance.)

In 2007 they decided to try having tractor pulls here in Page and, Dane Partridge with Big Lake Trading Post offered them adjacent unused property. Using their antique construction equipment, Jim and Gene were able to clear the land and construct an area for a tractor pull track, display areas and vendor areas. In September 2007 they had their first Antique Tractor Pull and Machine Show.

At first they were still under branch 134, but in 2009, with several others, they formed their own branch 217 through EDGE&TA, called Page Antique Tractor and Machinery Club, PAT&MC.

For that year’s event they built their own pull sled that has become the envy of many of the other clubs as it allows smaller tractors a good pull and tracks well. It was even borrowed last year by the Flagstaff club, for use in their “Beat the Heat” event.

The sled allows a tractor to pull up to 14,000# and this year will be equipped with a computer to figure how much weight the tractors pull and how far.

Each year they have tried to add something new to the show. By 2011 they had built their own tractor scales that weigh machinery up to 20,000#. In 2012, a couple of the members had taken a course in blacksmithing so some recently acquired blacksmithing equipment was able to be actually put to use, not just displayed. This year spectators can enjoy even more displays and demonstrations seated on covered bleachers.

The ongoing display of farm and construction equipment continues to grow. As people from all over the world visit Page, one of their photo memories of Page, is often a tractor.

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