Iowa Town Preserves
Farmer’s Generous Gift
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Residents in and around the small Southwest Iowa town of Prescott knew for years that local farmer Clarence Kline collected hundreds, if not thousands, of items related to farming and agriculture. They didn’t know that when he died, he’d leave the entire collection to his hometown of about 200 residents and ask that it be preserved as a museum. That was in 1988, and 35 years later, the tiny and productive Prescott community honors his legacy with the Kline Museum.
Local farmer Randy Cooper, who farms and is president of the museum’s board of directors, says that Kline’s will specified that the community keep what it wanted from his collection and sell the rest. The town organized a committee that selected many valuable items and still had enough left for a 3-day auction. That event raised money to help operate the museum. A 1911 Carter automobile and a Waterloo Boy tractor were two valuable saved items. The museum board restored the car and its four-cylinder engine to near-mint condition. Every year, the vehicle leads Prescott’s annual Septemberfest Parade.
Restoration of the 1919 Waterloo Boy was completed in 1999 with assistance from Barker Implement Company of Lenox, Iowa. Cooper says the car and tractor ran when the museum opened 35 years ago and still runs in 2024, adding that Kline would be extremely happy.
Over the years, the museum’s board has restored several farm implements, tractors and tools used on area farms. They’re using part of a $100,000 donation to restore a 1929 Chevrolet Landau automobile. Another museum vehicle is a 1929 Model A fire truck, Prescott’s first fire engine.
Two old buildings, once occupied by a feed store and the American Legion post, house most of the museum’s collection. Old machinery and steam equipment dating back to the early 1900s are stored outside.
Contact: FARM SHOW Followup, Kline Museum, 112 6th Ave., Prescott, Iowa 50859 (Facebook: Kline Museum).
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Iowa Town Preserves Farmer’s Generous Gift TRACTORS Antiques Residents in and around the small Southwest Iowa town of Prescott knew for years that local farmer Clarence Kline collected hundreds if not thousands of items related to farming and agriculture They didn’t know that when he died he’d leave the entire collection to his hometown of about 200 residents and ask that it be preserved as a museum That was in 1988 and 35 years later the tiny and productive Prescott community honors his legacy with the Kline Museum Local farmer Randy Cooper who farms and is president of the museum’s board of directors says that Kline’s will specified that the community keep what it wanted from his collection and sell the rest The town organized a committee that selected many valuable items and still had enough left for a 3-day auction That event raised money to help operate the museum A 1911 Carter automobile and a Waterloo Boy tractor were two valuable saved items The museum board restored the car and its four-cylinder engine to near-mint condition Every year the vehicle leads Prescott’s annual Septemberfest Parade Restoration of the 1919 Waterloo Boy was completed in 1999 with assistance from Barker Implement Company of Lenox Iowa Cooper says the car and tractor ran when the museum opened 35 years ago and still runs in 2024 adding that Kline would be extremely happy Over the years the museum’s board has restored several farm implements tractors and tools used on area farms They’re using part of a $100 000 donation to restore a 1929 Chevrolet Landau automobile Another museum vehicle is a 1929 Model A fire truck Prescott’s first fire engine Two old buildings once occupied by a feed store and the American Legion post house most of the museum’s collection Old machinery and steam equipment dating back to the early 1900s are stored outside Contact: FARM SHOW Followup Kline Museum 112 6th Ave Prescott Iowa 50859 Facebook: Kline Museum
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