Museum Member News

You can sign up for the Flower Fields now!


Email our Volunteer Frank Roche for more information!


If you need to take a Tractor Driving Test, please click here for further instruction.You also need to be a current Member of the Antique Gas & Steam Engine Museum, you can join through our website by clicking here.

2019 Board of Trustees

Executive Board:

President, Jake Williams

 (760) 638-9502

oilersandboilers@hotmail.com

Vice-President, Paul Schmitt

 (760) 212-4234

ikanfly@cox.net

Secretary, Judy Maddox

 (760) 402-3131

judy.maddox@gmail.com

Treasurer, Travis Durst

(858) 997-8046

travisdurst@gmail.com

Board Trustees:

Jim Kirkes

Dave Bowman

Kent Graham

Larry Thompson

Jeff Hunter

Tibor Laky

Kevin Lauritsen

Bob Millen

Ignitor Information

The Ignitor is published 6 times a year:

The Next Deadline is December 10th.

January/February

March/April

May/June

July/August

September/October

November/December

Publication copy deadline is the 10th of December, February, April, June, August, and October at 5 p.m. PST.

Please email agsemoffice@gmail.com for submission guidelines or any questions you have about our magazine.

The Ignitor Ads consisting of text for antique equipment and parts are free ONLY to Members. All other member and non-member ads are $200 for full page, $100 for half page, $50 for 1/4 page, and $25 for business card size ads per issue. Six (6) pre-paid business card size ads may be purchased for the price of four (4). All free ads will run for one issue only, unless renewed by member in writing.

President’s Report

By: Jake Williams

Hi folks!


Seems like the rains are behind us, which is probably a good thing, because event season is upon us.  As I write this we have one contingent of volunteers loading engines to represent our museum at the Tulare show, and another crew is assembling an exhibit for Gaslight Gathering in San Diego.  On top of all of this the Flower Fields are still churning along.

All of this takes the efforts of Museum members.  Week to week and month to month I notice that it always seems to be the same crew.  The same handful of folks who work and sweat alongside each other to keep our museum moving forward.  We have over a thousand members.  Surely there is a place here for everybody.  Being a volunteer doesn’t have to mean being a mechanic or a tractor driver.  

Do you like planting and landscaping?  Do you enjoy research and writing?  How about simply talking and interacting with visitors.  All of these are important niches to fill as well.  If yours is a face we don’t normally see, I encourage you to come out and spend some time with us.  You might just make some new friends!

Switching gears now...


Can I say a few words about pallets?  As I walk the grounds I am constantly seeing stray pallets in the strangest of places.  Pallets, and for that matter fuel cans, empty oil bottles, rags, hoses, tools, and the list goes on.  I deeply appreciate all the efforts of our members, but when a project is finished it is very important that we clean up after ourselves.  The museum is open to the public seven days a week, and it’s very important that we put our best foot forward for our visitors.

It is also important to remember that we do not own the land we’re situated on.  The property is leased from the county of San Diego, and we need to be sure we’re in compliance with their mandates as well.  

On a happier note, the Gas Engine Row crew has been making excellent strides toward setting the Fairbanks Type R in its new home.  This engine will be a real head turner, and I’m sure the machine shop guys will be glad to see it somewhere besides in front of their door.

We’ve also recently received the donations of a small steam boiler mounted on a trailer with an engine, steam pump, and some other items.  With some fresh paint and a little TLC, this will make an excellent addition to our roving exhibits.

Lots going on, and the June show is only nine weeks away.  Hope to see you soon!

Director’s Report

By: Ashley Jaques

So many exciting things have happened since the last issue of the Ignitor.  Our very own Crystal Myers got married in a beautiful wedding on the grass, congratulations John and Crystal McClow!  We did wagon rides at the Carlsbad Strawberry Fields for their annual pumpkin patch…the Fiber Art Fiesta was a success … I attended the National Association of Watch & Clock Collectors Annual Mart in Del Mar, two weeks of the Fall Show and the Auction.

 

Looking forward to 2020 we are getting ready for the revamped annual meeting…. Join us for the first annual AGSEM Family BBQ & Election on Saturday, January 18, 2020. 

 

Bring the family and join us in the Assembly Building at 11:00 a.m. for social hour which will include appetizers, drinks, yard games, caricature artist and a meet and greet with staff, trustees and candidates.  At 12:00 p.m. we will introduce the candidates where they will have a chance to talk for a few minutes and then we’ll have a catered lunch so that all Museum members and volunteers can join in on the fun!  The election results along with the President’s Report and Director’s will start at 1:00 p.m. 

Some of the members are going to be starting up engines and we’ll have a few tractors running around too.  I encourage all members to attend and partake in a day of fun (yes we’ll have a little business to attend to) with staff and other members; it’s a great time to make new friends...  I even heard a rumor that there will be homemade ice cream too.  

 

We have had a lot of great volunteers this past year doing some amazing projects from driving tractors at the flower fields, to cooking for events, to restoring equipment, to staffing exhibit areas, to planting pumpkins to taking out the trash.  Thank you all for helping us to continue to grow here at AGSEM we couldn’t have done it without you. 

 

If you are not getting the new monthly eNewsletter from me please drop me an email at asemdirector@gmail.com with your current email address.  In these monthly newsletters you will be getting updated information on events, education and exhibits at the Museum. 

 

I wish everyone a very happy and safe holiday season!

If your area has something exciting you are working on I would love to see it.  Drop me an email (agsemdirector@gmail.com) or give me a call (442-204-1003) so I can try and stop by.  I have gotten see quite a bit of things going on since the last issue from members letting me know about projects they have wrapped up.