Antique Tractors Roll into Boise for new home at JUMP

The greatly anticipated arrival of a rare collection of antique tractors and steam engines was a sight to behold as the first tractors rolled into Boise headed for their new home at Jack’s Urban Meeting Place. 

These huge steel-wheeled machines, some weighing as much as 12 tons, turned a few heads as they made their journey from their former home at Oscar’s Dreamland in Billings, Montana. Once they arrived in Boise, they were power-washed at Inland Crane before making their way through town to JUMP, where they were carefully offloaded from flatbed trucks then hoisted by crane using custom-rigged devices onto the JUMP parking deck along Myrtle Street. 

Back in 1998, J.R. Simplot purchased 110 antique tractors from Oscar Cooke’s collection of antique tractors, steam engines and agricultural equipment during an auction at Oscar’s Dreamland. Once the world’s largest collection of agricultural machinery assembled and owned by one man, Cooke’s collection was unusual and included various types of engines including the Harrison Jumbo, Kitten, and Port Huron.

Like Cooke and his wife Marcella who had dreams of using these tractors to preserve a part of our country’s past and share it with others, the purchase of the turn-of-the-twentieth-century tractors prompted J.R. to begin thinking about an agricultural museum that could show people how American farming methods have progressed over the years. He had plans to use these amazing tractors to show people how far we’ve come and inspire them to think about where we go from here. 

Once complete, JUMP is intended to become an environment for inspiring human potential – a place that will inspire people to dream, imagine the possibilities, generate new ideas, then become engaged as pioneers, innovators, entrepreneurs and artists. In addition to the antique tractors, JUMP will offer numerous features and activities that will provide opportunities for people to try something new and become exposed to new experiences, with the hopes that they can discover their passion or the thing in life that makes them tick or come alive.

From a one-time farmer and dreamer in Montana to an energetic entrepreneur and dreamer from Idaho, this amazing collection of antique tractors and steam engines will continue to fulfill the dreams of these dreamers and inspire others to dream big at Jack’s Urban Meeting Place.