Symco Shakedown

Sim · koh – a crossroads in east Central Wisconsin that for two days last week attracted hot rods from all over the Midwest. This wasn’t your usual car show. It was more like American Graffiti meets Animal House meets Stonefield Historic Site. 

Larry Werth had a vision of an early 20^th century historic village and set out to create one of his own design. With help – and repurposed farm buildings – from friends in the area, he reconstituted “Unionville” at Symco with its post office, general store, school, church, and saloon, among other structures. Mike “Cliffy” Rosenow from Oshkosh had a vision, too – stage a traditional hot rod show for pre-1965 cars, complete with rockabilly music throughout the night, in this unique setting. My goodness, he even had a barber and stylist on the grounds to bring the looks of the guys and gals back to an earlier era. Oh, and cheap ($1) beer!

Lots of gas signs on the grounds.

Interior of the General Store.

The cobbler's shop.

What a woman wouldn't do at the beauty shop of the past to be beautiful!

Unionville is the site of an annual thresheree and tractor pull so antique tractors and engines are also on display on the grounds.

The first year we attended the Symco Shakedown, we camped on the Little Wolf River which runs along one side of the show grounds. That year it rained so heavily during the night that we had a ten-inch deep “lake” in front of our rig the next morning. This year we camped on a higher location across the road and, thank goodness, the weatherman was wrong. There was very light rain on and off on Friday but Saturday was a perfect summer day!

I told Mike Cavin of Green Bay that I would post a picture of the hood ornament on his Hudson Hornet.

Even though I’m not much of a fan of the noise and power of a hot rod, I have to admire the creativity that the owners display with their work. And they all have a story!