An interest in preserving the past shown by gentlemen of the Winfield Community culminated in a meeting October 7th, 1981. A group of 22 individuals met and organized the Kansas and Oklahoma Steam and Gas Engine Association with Howard Lumbert elected as the 1st President. The club incorporated August 4th, 1982.

            The first show was held September 25th & 26th, 1982 at the Winfield Fairgrounds. A show has been held every year since.

            The Early Day Gas Engine and Tractor Association (EDGE TA) was organized in May 1957. The local club is a member and has voting rights in the organization. Each Club that is a Member of the national organization is called a Branch. The K&O Club is Branch 11. The National Meeting is assigned in consecutive order each year, The K&O organization hosted the National Meeting in 1991 in Winfield.

              In January 1984 the club purchased a large metal building at Oil Hill near El Dorado Ks and began to look for land to put it on. In June of 1984 four members went to Nebraska to look at a steam engine that was for sale. A 16hp Aultman Taylor steam was purchased with shares bought by members. In July 1987 five acres of land located west of Winfield was purchased from John Brazle. Members erected the steel beams from the building they tore down from the oil field, but decided to purchase new metal. In December 1990 the metal was purchased and the members began to work very hard to get the building erected before the national show. The job got done, and members were very proud of it. Now the K&O Club has 5 acres of Land, 2 Large Buildings for storage, a water well and restrooms with showers. Members worked on completing the meeting room in the newest building, where we now hold our monthly meetings.

          In 2000, K&O Featured John Deere at the show. This was the largest show in the amount of exhibitors that has been held to date. Exhibitors came from 15 states to either exhibit or visit our show. K&O is listed in National Directories for antique machinery collectors, thus drawing visitors from many states and several other countries.

          So you see the club has always been about preserving the past, but here serveral years back the club made it official and made it our mission statement "Preserving the past for future generations."

The K&O Club has worked very hard to achieve this preserving the past for many years, and will do so for future generation to come.

                                Written By: Linda Keasling