Vintage vehicles fill town's Common

Vintage vehicles fill town's Common

Fall show boosts Narragansett Historical Society
Doneen Durling
News Staff Writer
 News staff photo by DONEEN DURLING  A vintage car sits in front of the Narragansett Historical Society building in Templeton, Saturday.

         News staff photo by DONEEN DURLING     Wayne McCarthy, a member of the Central Massachusetts Steam, Gas & Machinery Association, stands next to his Simplicity hopper-cooled engine during Saturday’s event in Templeton.


TEMPLETON — The Narragansett Historical Society presented its inaugural Vintage Engine, Tractor and Car Show on the Common Saturday, and the turnout surprised everyone — even the organizers.

Brian Tanguay said he was happy the weather was cooperating. Vintage farm machinery, small engines, farm and garden tractors, lawn tractors and vintage cars dating back as far as the early 1900s filled the Common during the event.

“Half of these would not have come if it was raining,” he said.


“We just invited everyone to see if we at least could fill this part of the Common, and maybe that part,” he added, referencing the area directly in front of the society’s building and in front of the home next door. “We succeeded, so it looks like we are going to have to take it across the street next year.”

Mr. Tanguay said the event was a part of a five-year plan he has been working on for the society. He said the town allowed for the vehicles and machinery to be set up in the town’s center, providing a boost to the organization as it looks to revitalize community participation and support.

“This and the other programs that we ran this summer are bringing back a good buzz to the town that we’re here,” he said, noting that there has been a great deal of work done on the society’s building. “Volunteers are coming in. They just repointed all the bricks because they were leaking water into the building ... We have to raise (funds for utilities and other needs) on our own, and that is what we are doing here today. It’s a start.”

Mr. Tanguay said another team put in new gutters that direct water away from the building. He cited the contributions of volunteers Roger and Russell Brooks.

The society is considering spring, summer and winter events, said Mr. Tanguay, and the board of directors is set to decide on more specifics next month.

“We have a few ideas on the burner,” he said.

Mr. Tanguay applauded Mark McCartney for encouraging people with vintage engines and cars to come out for the last show of the year before winter. He said once the invitation was sent for one machine type, others wanted to come, too.

“It just started snowballing,” he said.

When asked which vehicle he would like to jump into and drive away, Mr. McCartney pointed to a vintage ’70s Plymouth without pause.

“That white Road Runner,” he said. “I love that thing.”

Mr. Tanguay said he would be driving home a blue GTO painted by Mr. McCartney.

A passion for vintage machines runs deep in Mr. McCartney’s family. His father, Wayne McCartney, bought some small vintage steam engines and a large hopper-cooled Simplicity engine originally built in 1911 or 1912. He said he has a small engine museum in every room of his home.

Mr. McCartney’s grandparents lived off the land, and he said his grandfather was the one who first introduced him to the magic of machinery.

“When I was a kid, I would go to Maine every summer as soon as school was out,” he said. “I couldn’t wait until school was finished so I could go stay with my grandparents. There was no electricity, and no running water. Even after I got married and had kids, I thought, ‘I’m going to get some of those old engines.’”

Mr. McCartney pointed out large vintage tractors that are still functional and being used for farming in the area.

“They’ll do anything you want,” he said.

All proceeds garnered from the event benefited the historical society.