Antique Powerland Museum or Powerland Heritage Park contains 15 individual museums, each with a different category of antique machinery. This museum will keep you occupied for hours, and is the perfect place to add to your Oregon travel guide.
The History of Antique Powerland Museum
In the vast farmland of 1950’s Woodburn and Silverton Oregon, farmers would gather every fall for threshing bees. Neighbors would help each other harvest their crops as well as show off their heritage farm equipment.
As time progressed, these farming sessions ended with weekend tractor tests and friendly competitions. As attendance rapidly grew at these competitions, 62 acres was purchased in Brooks, OR and the Western Antique Powerland, INC (WAPI) was formed.
In 1988 the first museum came to WAPI, the heritage truck museum. Almost ten years later, the Oregon Electric Railway Historical Society set up a museum on the land and Western Antique Powerland Inc became Antique Powerland Museum. Today, Powerland hosts 15 individual museums, all with different historical equipment and machinery.
Visiting Antique Powerland Museum Heritage Park
Although Antique Powerland is open Wednesday through Sunday, it is best to visit on weekends. Each individual museum has different hours based on volunteers. On weekends, most museums are open and the railway operates on Sundays and during events.
The Heritage Museums include:
The Antique Caterpillar Machinery Museum
A museum full of antique Caterpillar construction, mining, and road building equipment, featuring both diesel and gasoline engines and turbines is a large draw.
The Antique Implement Society
The Antique Implement Society houses large engines and power machinery of rare lineage. Along with restoration efforts they also perform demonstrations of antique engines.
Blacksmith Shop
The blacksmith shop is modelled after an historical blacksmith workspace. Volunteers host demonstrations and answer visitor’s questions about the trade.
Early Day Gas Engine and Tractor Association- Branch 15
The Gas Engine and Tractor Association displays antique gas engines, tractors, and equipment. Their mission is to educate visitors, restore and preserve the machinery, and demonstrate how vintage equipment works.
Northwest Vintage Car and Motorcycle Museum
This nonprofit organization has a large collection of antique and vintage cars, trucks and motorcycles. They also work to teach high school students automotive tech skills at their museum.
Pacific Northwest Logging Museum
The logging museum houses equipment from the beginning of the machine logging era until now. It contains everything from cats, to skidders and shovels.
Pacific Northwest Truck Museum
The truck museum contains the vehicles that helped modernize and develop the Pacific Northwest. There are 75 trucks, most are heavy-haulers, made by well-known companies like GMC and Freightliner, along with trucks from extinct companies like Autocar and Moreland.
Other Museums Include:
Brooks Historical Society
Oregon Electric Railway Museum
Oregon Fire Service Museum
Oregon Vintage Machinery Museum
Pacific NW Chapter of the National
Railway Historical Society
Western Steam Fiends
Willow Creek Railroad Museum
Willamette Valley Model Railroad
& Operating Museum
The Great Oregon Steam up at Antique Powerland Museum
Every July and August, thousands of people gather at Antique Powerland Museum for the “Great Steam Up.” The Steam Up stems from the tractor competitions that formed the organization. At first, the two weekend event had mainly steam powered farm equipment and only used a portion of the 62 acres. Today’s Steam Up has grown to utilize the entire property.
During this event, all the museums on the property are not only open, but are running and demonstrating the antique equipment. Volunteers demonstrate antique farm equipment by harvesting the field on the property. Other demonstrations feature tractor pulls, flour milling, sawmilling, and blacksmithing all with antique equipment in working order. Other daily events include: museum tours, parades, train and trolley rides, live music, kids pedal tractor pulls, and antique firetruck demos.
The Great Oregon Steam Up is the last weekend of July and the first weekend of August every year. Dry Camping spots can be reserved for the event, but are limited.
What to Know Before You Visit
- The Museum is located at 3995 Brooklake Rd NE in
Brooks, Oregon - Each Individual museum has different hours.
Learn more here. - Regular park admission cost is $6 with children
under 12 at no cost - Park admission is $12 during the Steam Up
- The Park hosts many events throughout the year.
You can find the calendar here.
