Plate, Commemorative
Object number2003.130.12
Date1983
MediumCeramic; Glaze
Credit LineGift of Tri-State Historical Steam Engine Association, Inc.
DescriptionCircular white ceramic commemorative plate. Shallow sloped walls. Circular foot. Face has polychrome image of a steam engine agricultural vehicle in a grassy field billowing gray steam. White background. Vehicle faces to the viewer's left. Vehicle is red, green, and gray with yellow detail on the front bucket. Reverse has black text inside foot.DimensionsDiameter x Depth: 9.25 x 0.875 in. (23.5 x 2.2 cm)InscriptionsFace has black text at top of image "TRI-STATE HISTORICAL STEAM ENGINE ASSOC., INC." and at bottom of image "1983".
Reverse has black text inside foot including "Keystone Driller Co., Beaver Falls, Pa. / The manufacture of Keystone Drillers was begun in a small shop / at Fallston, Pa. in 1882. A force of 12 men were employed and the / output of the plant was about two machines a month. In 1887, a new / and larger factory was erected in the neighboring town of Beaver / Falls, and this became the permanent establishment of the company. / A department for the manufacture of steam boilers, especially adapt- / ed for drilling machines was added and the Keystone Cross Tubular, / or "Inverted Porcupine", type was put on the market. / Although the company placed a good line of gasoline or electric / motor on their machines, for use where fuel and water were scarce, / they highly recommended the use of steam power if at all possible. / The business grew steadily and healthily until it became, prob- / ably, the largest of its kind in the World. The plant covered 12 / acres, and included complete modern facilities for the manufacture / of all parts of the rigs produced. / In 1907, the Company acquired the established business of the / Downie Pump Company, and moved it to their plant. Large numbers of / deep well pumps under the trade name of their own were produced and / shipped throughout the world. / In 1913, they placed on the market, a traction excavator, or / steam shovel of novel design. The Keystone 10-ton Traction Excavator / instantly found favor with the market, and found its way in large / areas of the world. By rearranging the interchangeable sheaves and / tackling to suit, the Keystone Excavator could be operated in three / distinct ways. In short, the machine became a skimmer shovel, a drop- / bottom ditcher, or a clam shell. / Although this company has not existed for many years, many of / their machines have been reclaimed, rebuilt, and presently are being / shown as collectors items. In our area, much credit is due Dean E. / Red, Charleroi, Pa., who has in his possession one Keystone Traction / Driller and 4 Keystone Traction Excavators, several of them still power- / ed by steam. / Prepared by Paul F. Crow, Charleroi, Pa."
Historical Notes1983 Tri-State Historical Steam Engine Association commemorative plate featuring circa 1913 Steam Shovel, Keystone Driller Company, Beaver Falls, Pennsylvania. Part of a collection of fifteen commemorative plates depicting historical steam engines. Several of the engines were developed in Western Pennsylvania. Part of the Meadowcroft collection.
Related institution
Keystone Driller Company
Related institution
Downie Pump Company
Related person
Dean E. Red
Related person
Paul F. Crow
On View
Not on view
1999
