History of the
NORTH EASTERN ILLINOIS TWO-CYLINDER CLUB

North Eastern Illinois Two-Cylinder Club, NEITCC, as it's known today was established as Two-Cylinder Club - Northeast Chapter. It was the second chartered club following one in the state of Oregon. The club was known as IL1. Many club members at that time are still active today.

The club area was from the Wisconsin border to Interstate 80 and from Lake Michigan to the DeKalb area. In a 1988 poll of Two-Cylinder Club members, ninety-two percent came from farm backgrounds. Today, the club has only a few members who actually work farm land. Most current members are urban residents and work on their beautiful "green and yellow" machines in the family garage next to bicycles, lawn mowers where the family car used to reside.

Early club meetings were held on Sunday nights at the Bartlett Fireman's Hall where the annual fun night pot-luck and auction was held in late January or early February. This club activity was always graciously hosted by charter member, the late Elmer Hecht, Bartlett Fire Chief, Retired.

The early club mission was one of fellowship and tractor restoration help sessions. Today, in addition, the club enjoys parades and other opportunities to show their old antique tractors and to revisit the history of John Deere-related agriculture. The club members enjoy plow days and fall harvest days host on the farm of charter members Bob and Phyllis Johnson. In the spring of 2001, the club hosted a very well-attended social dinner at the Fisherman's Inn in Elburn, IL. On March 9, 2003, the club will host a combined social dinner/club meeting/fun auction at the Fisherman's Inn.

The club's first president, Bruce Johnson, a director yet today, is a member of the Two-Cylinder Technical Council (Model B tractors). In addition, he is a member of the John Deere Collectors Center Advisory Board and assists with Two-Cylinder Days at the John Deere Historic Site at Grand Detour and is the vendor manager for the "Gathering of the Green."

NEITCC is one of the four two-cylinder clubs located in central and northern Illinois and eastern Iowa which founded and continues to sponsor the highly successful Gathering of the Green Conference. The next Gathering conference will be held in Moline, IL on March 10, 11, 12, & 13, 2004.

While no longer a chapter of the Two-Cylinder Club, the membership still enjoys the fellowship of the green and yellow that originally brought us together. Charter membership was 120 people and the club is still maintaining that membership level today.

Respectfully submitted
Dave Foelschow
Vice President