What is Field Day of the Past?
Field Day of the Past is a family event sponsored by the Rockville-Centerville
Steam and Gas Historical Association. This show mixes the warm, down-home atmosphere of the county fairs of yesteryear
with exhibits and displays of museum quality. In the summer of 1992, a few steam and gas engine collectors gathered
for an informal discussion on the possibity of hosting a steam and gas engine show in Goochland County, VA. They organized
the Rockville-Centerville Steam and Gas Historical Association and hosted its first show, which attracted 5,000 people.
Today the show has expanded into a 3 day event, held the third full weekend in September and draws a crowd of approximately
30,000 people annually.
What does Field Day of the Past have to offer?
Historical displays and exhibits, re-enactments, tractor and truck pulls, small engine
displays, arts and crafts, flea market, antique and modern construction equipment demonstrations, a log cabin with ongoing
heritage craft demonstrations can be experienced throughout the weekend. Volunteers demonstrate the daily rountines
of the life of a family surving in early rural Virginia which include wheat and peanut threshing, meat
smoking, the making of sorghum molasses, washing clothes, canning, saw milling and other chores.
Permanent exhibits and structures include a working United States post office, a
1930's grocery store and garage, fire lookout tower, blacksmith shop, wood wright shop, ice house, gold mining equipment,
Pullman railroad car and engine buildings.
New attractions and events are added each year.
Complete details are available in the Field Day of the Past newspaper that is published
three times a year and distributed around the state free of charge. If you would like a newspaper sent to your home,
join Field Day of the Past membership and a newspaper will be mailed to your home when each issue is published.
