Hesston Steam Museum

The La Porte County Threshermen held their first steam‑power reunion on the 22 acre site that would become Hesston Steam Museum in 1957, adding a sawmill in 1959, an electric plant in 1961 and a Browning crane in 1962. A steam locomotive was bought from Elliott Donnelley in 1964, and between 1965 and 1968 the society, with Donnelley’s financial help, acquired the remaining acreage to create a dual‑gauge (2 ft / 3 ft) railroad; the La Porte County Historical Steam Society was chartered as a nonprofit on December 16 1968 and received IRS 501(c)‑3 status in 1969, the same year weekend railroad service began. The Shay locomotive restoration was completed and dedicated on August 30 1975; after Donnelley’s death in December 1975 his family donated his 14‑inch gauge railroad, which members moved in 1976 and rebuilt from 1977 to 1982. A fire on May 26 1985 destroyed most large railroad equipment, prompting the purchase of two Plymouth gasoline locomotives and a Melodia coach that allowed limited operation for the 1985 show, and after insurance clearance in early 1986 the India locomotive was salvaged on March 13 1986 and back under steam 89 days later. Additional milestones include the arrival of East‑German equipment on April 14 1987 and the first firing of the CSK in August 1987, the retirement of the India locomotive in 1988, major work on the Orenstein & Koppel 0‑8‑0 between 1990 and 1998, the purchase of two 3‑ft passenger coaches in November 1998, and the completion of a half‑scale working Tom Thumb model in September 2022.