~ Northern Michigan Antique-Flywheelers Club ~
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just come back and visit the site often to view the photos.
The design and compilation of the text and photos on this site are copyrighted 2014.
Most posted items will enlarge by "clicking" on them.
"Clicking" on some color highlighted words may access additional information.
Charter Members
Fred Gonzer
Harold Hamlin
Frances "Fran" Jones Smith Stanbarger
Ed Korthase
Robert Ward Mackie
Debra L. Matthew
Larry "Mose" and Darlea Matthew
Bud Sabin
John Charles Talboys
Fred Gonzer
Harold Hamlin
Frances "Fran" Jones Smith Stanbarger
Ed Korthase
Robert Ward Mackie
Debra L. Matthew
Larry "Mose" and Darlea Matthew
Bud Sabin
John Charles Talboys
The Northern Michigan Antique-Flywheelers Club began in 1988, driven by a dream of Larry "Mose" Matthew of Walloon Lake. Larry's daughter Debra L. Matthew, a Charter Lifetime member, has compiled an interesting history of the Northern Michigan Antique-Flywheelers Club. The first show was held at the Walloon Lake farm of Larry Matthew.
Dedicated Members
Donna (Miller) Billiau (1988 2022 Treasurer)
Jackie Capelin
Scott Crandell
Ester Daniels
Bob DeVol (2018 2023 President)
Dorris Epley
Louis Fochtman Family
Donald Greenwell
Marcelyn Hamlin
Chad Howard
Jack Alan Howard
Tim Howard
Arlene Korthase
Joe Rebman
Virginia Rebman
Daniel R. "Smitty" Smith
Jim Stamm
Michael Gary Stolt
Jim Urman
Donna (Miller) Billiau (1988 2022 Treasurer)
Jackie Capelin
Scott Crandell
Ester Daniels
Bob DeVol (2018 2023 President)
Dorris Epley
Louis Fochtman Family
Donald Greenwell
Marcelyn Hamlin
Chad Howard
Jack Alan Howard
Tim Howard
Arlene Korthase
Joe Rebman
Virginia Rebman
Daniel R. "Smitty" Smith
Jim Stamm
Michael Gary Stolt
Jim Urman
Above Photo Credit permission by: Odalaigh (Charles Dawley)
Above Photo Credit permission by ~ Drone Photography from Charles Dawley
Charles Dawley's webpage above, is filled with more photos of the Antique-Flywheelers Show,
plus many other area attractions from his drone's perspective.
Charles Dawley's webpage above, is filled with more photos of the Antique-Flywheelers Show,
plus many other area attractions from his drone's perspective.
"We owned several cars during the time we lived in HILL-AN-DALE (Whitfield cottage on the Seven Hills), but none could hold a candle to either one of those Jeeps. The first was a 'Chrysler 50', but for building the first house I bought an old 'Dodge Commercial' from Lawrence Clink who sold cars for Brown's Dodge Agency. It was an 'oldie' which Bremmeyr-Bain Hardware thought they had worn out, but as I just needed a truck to do odd jobs, haul dirt, logs, tools and about everything else, I thought I'd just keep it a year or so and it would be very handy for many uses. Never did I think that I'd keep that truck for some forty years, make a real 'snow-goer' with treads out of it and wind up giving it away to Larry Mathews, together with the title, which I had kept all those years. It was a 1925 model and Larry was going to fix it up and show it off at antique car shows. It would have made a hit, too, as not many trucks of that vintage still exist. Chuck Sherk and I had made new wheels for it as the original ones had developed squeaks. But I had had to cut most of the back fenders on both sides in making it into the 'snow-goer' and had thrown away the parts I had cut off, so it wouldn't have been possible for it to be shown as a complete antique truck. But that was a good old truck. It hauled many a load from town in summer and in winter I would just have to carry along the two treads when I got to the hilly and snowy part of the road, and to make darned sure of my progress I just had to stop, get out, lay the chains and treads on the pavement behind the rear wheels, roll the truck back a few feet onto the treads, hook them up and I was all set to go most anywhere there was a road. That was long before the days of Jeeps, but I always dreamed about some day owning some kind of a vehicle which would enable me to negotiate the Northshore Drive in the winter with all the hit and miss of early day snow plowing. In those very early days about the only snow-plowing we got was when some local farmer with his team was hired by the township board to drag a couple of V-shaped planks up the road. This didn't do much actual plowing, it mostly spread out what snow was already in the road but it did make driving over it much easier. Finally when the building and maintenance of the roads was delegated to the county that body came up with some light and then heavier trucks with plows on them and this was a vast improvement, except when they got stuck, which often happened. Now their trucks are equipped with radio, so they can call in to the headquarters for help."
~ James C. Whitfield, Sr.
~ James C. Whitfield, Sr.
Location of the Northern Michigan Antique-Flywheelers Club on the Interactive Google Map
1956
1988
1991
A program from the 4th Annual show of the Northern Michigan Antique-Flywheelers
has been submitted by Norm Stevens.
Pages of the 1991 program are featured in photos below.
A program from the 4th Annual show of the Northern Michigan Antique-Flywheelers
has been submitted by Norm Stevens.
Pages of the 1991 program are featured in photos below.
1999
2000
2010
The Ironton Ferry cab was donated to the Northern Michigan Antique-Flywheelers Club
in September of 2013.
2014
The Antique Flywheelers Student Harvest Days
is one of the many benefits the surrounding communities, and school students, experience.
2014
2016
Darlea Matthew, a Founder of Northern Michigan Antique-Fly-Wheelers Club, Passed Away
2016
John Charles Talboys was a dedicated lifetime member of the Flywheelers,
serving as head of the flea market for 25 years.
John Charles Talboys was a dedicated lifetime member of the Flywheelers,
serving as head of the flea market for 25 years.
2017
The 29 June 2017 Petoskey News Review reported: The Northern Michigan Antique Flywheelers have purchased a historic one-room schoolhouse which will be moved to the showgrounds. The Huddleston School building had been in Pellston and was purchased in memory of the late Louie Fotchman who had many connections to school buildings; having attended a one-room schoolhouse himself, and also having worked for Petoskey public schools for 28 years. This building will be a great addition to the other buildings which the Flywheelers already have on their grounds... Northern Michigan Antique-Flywheelers Club
Photo Above: Alex Childress' additional work also may be viewed at Alex Childress Photo.
Walter Dean Brubacher (1954~2021) of Petoskey
enjoyed working at the Shingle Mill at the Northern Michigan Antique Flywheelers Club show.
enjoyed working at the Shingle Mill at the Northern Michigan Antique Flywheelers Club show.
Larry D. "Mose" Matthew (1931~2022) "loved old iron and preserving the past for future generations. Mose and his wife Darlea [view Darlea's obituary above] were Life Members of the Northwest Michigan Engine & Thresher Club in Buckley, Michigan. In April 1988, Mose called a few tractor and engine show friends to present the idea of starting a club in the Walloon Lake area. Three months later, and a lot of preparation, the first Northern Michigan Antique-Flywheelers Show was held on Larry's farm in Walloon Lake. Larry has left a wonderful legacy with the show and the strong traditions of old iron in Northern Michigan. 35 years later, with the commitment of Flywheeler members, people will continue to learn a bit about the history of old tractors, life in the past lane and benefit from what Mose brought to the community... He made time for his love of farming, restoring Allis Chalmers tractors beginning with his father's Allis Chalmers Model B, building Model A Doodlebugs and traveling the Allis Chalmers Caravan trail. Mose participated in the FIRST Mackinac Bridge Antique Tractor Crossing in 2008 and drove an AC tractor or Doodlebug in the crossing for 13 years. He was proud to wear the 90-year-old participant button he was given in 2020."
Louis and Barb Fochtman were dedicated Northern Michigan Antique Flywheelers Club members. Barb provided paintings for several years that were used for the annual show's plaque. She also donated a one-room schoolhouse to the club in memory of Louie. Barb passed away on 17 May 2022.
~ Huddleston School ~
8 miles west of Pellston and 1/2 mile north of Jureks Meat Market on Pleasantview Road in Center Township
This school house was moved by the Ritchie Moving Co. July 2017
to the Antique-Flywheelers Club near Boyne Falls
(in memory of Louis Fochtman who attended a one-room school - Morford).
Additional information about the Huddleston School may be accessed by clicking HERE.
8 miles west of Pellston and 1/2 mile north of Jureks Meat Market on Pleasantview Road in Center Township
This school house was moved by the Ritchie Moving Co. July 2017
to the Antique-Flywheelers Club near Boyne Falls
(in memory of Louis Fochtman who attended a one-room school - Morford).
Additional information about the Huddleston School may be accessed by clicking HERE.
2022
Donna (Miller) Billiau served on the board of the Antique Flywheelers Club from 1988 until 2022 when she passed. Donna ran the flywheelers' museum and many other positions needed.
Donna (Miller) Billiau served on the board of the Antique Flywheelers Club from 1988 until 2022 when she passed. Donna ran the flywheelers' museum and many other positions needed.
The Northern Michigan Antique Flywheelers event will open with a ribbon cutting and grand opening the club's new food service building at noon on 28 July 2023. The building is the culmination of several years of volunteer work, grant funding and donations amid pandemic-related delays.
James Matthew, Sr., a member of the Northern Michigan Antique Flywheelers Club, passed away 28 March 2024.
James was a brother to Ira (Margaret) Matthew, Perry (Violet) Matthew, Delores (Ted) Hull,
Mildred (Bert) Burns, Helen (Forest) Cantor, and Lillian (John) Dollarhide.
James was a brother to Ira (Margaret) Matthew, Perry (Violet) Matthew, Delores (Ted) Hull,
Mildred (Bert) Burns, Helen (Forest) Cantor, and Lillian (John) Dollarhide.