I am nominating Lauren Langdon for 2017 induction into the EDGE&TA Hall of Fame for his long standing commitment to our hobby. Lauren started collecting Stationary Gas Engines and Tractors over 40 years ago and since that time has gone on to have one of the premier Engine collections in the US. He has shown great dedication to his hobby through ongoing involvement through membership in numerous antique iron organizations.
Lauren has been instrumental in the foundation of not one, but TWO EDGE&TA branches. Nearly three decades ago, along with other interested old iron collectors, Lauren worked to establish Branch 38, Magic Valley Antique Tractor Pullers. This branch is dedicated to the restoration and pulling of vintage tractors. Lauren helped to finance the first pull sled for the club and went on to organize the 1998 EDGE& TA North West Regional hosted by Branch 38 in Filer, Idaho. While working with Branch 38, spectators could always find Lauren present at events, pulling with his tractors and displaying his engines.
Later in 2003 as Lauren and other Branch 38 members started to focus more or collecting and restoring antique stationary engines, Lauren in association with those members went on to establish Branch 150, Snake River Antique Power Association which while still in its infancy would host the 2006 Northwest Regional, again organized by Lauren and held in Buhl, Idaho. Since the Branch’s inception, Lauren has continuously served as the Branch President, inviting and encouraging the growth and development of the hobby through seeking out interested individuals to join the Branch and partake of his beloved hobby.
True to his love for the hobby, Lauren has joined and participated in several other EDGE&TA branches, including Branch 15 of Brooks, Oregon. Every year Branch 15 participates in the Great Oregon Steam-Up, an event where a year has not passed in over 40 years that one could not find Lauren present and participating!
As mentioned above, Lauren has an impressive collection of antique iron. His collection demonstrates his love for early iron, especially the Fairbanks Morse model N series of engines. Lauren has become the “go to guy” for collectors looking for information and parts for these engines. In true dedication to the hobby, Lauren has made, collected, and commissioned patterns for hard to find parts for these engines. From those patterns, many parts have made that have brought back to life dozens of engines that would have otherwise been left incomplete, inoperable. Most notably was the restoration of one of Lauren’s own engines, a one-off Fairbanks Morse 40hp Model N sectionalized gas engine. This
engine required over three years of dedicated work with numerous parts made from patterns to complete the restoration! As alluded to above, Lauren’s dedication to the hobby and the restoration of the early iron is not only limited to his own collection, I for one can attest to (as can any one of Lauren’s many friends) his willingness to assist in the production of missing parts, locating original parts, and where necessary the borrowing of his own parts for patterns! Have a question or a problem you need to solve? Call Lauren, he’s always willing to work through the issue with you and provide invaluable advice to returning your iron to running condition!
At this time, as Branch 150 again prepares to host the 2017 North West Regional I have chosen to nominate my good friend Lauren Langdon for induction into the EDGE&TA hall of fame for 2017. I have been a club member for only 5 years, but during that time I have received nothing but encouragement and continual support from Lauren. He introduced me to the broad scope of the hobby; tractors, engines, farm equipment and the people that go along with the hobby! Every year Lauren has organized our branch’s largest yearly event held in conjunction with the local county fair. He has eagerly sought out means to not only encourage my participation, but also that of my wife and sons (ages 9,7,5, and 3). I know that it is because of his enthusiasm for the hubby that our branch has continued to grow! He has made not only our branch, but also the events we participate in, family friendly. This has encouraged further participation by other young families who have joined the branch, families which are now the future of our hobby! Finally, as Lauren has looked to the future of our Branch, he has encouraged me to organize the 2017 North West Regional, constantly available to guide me through the process as I learn the “ropes” of what it takes to be a great leader in this hobby, just as Lauren has been.
Submitted By: Ryan Gurney