The Kewanee Preservation Society has secured a Kewanee Firebox K Series Boiler from an auction in Pennsylvania to be restored and be part of the Boiler Shop Memorial site. The boiler was manufactured in the late 1940s in Kewanee and was sent to New Enterprise, Pennsylvania, to heat Detwiler Dairy. Merle Detwiler started the family dairy business in 1946 and was associated with it until 1969. They only produced Guernsey milk. Merle Detwiler passed away in 1972. The family dairy farm merged with Galliker Dairy Company in 1977. This boiler last fired up around 1980.
The journey back home began with a phone call from an auctioneer in Pennsylvania to the Kewanee Preservation Society. The auctioneer said a Kewanee Boiler was going to auction in August 2024. The Kewanee Preservation Society placed a bid with Wisecarver’s Auctions and won the bid. Transportation of the boiler to Kewanee was easy because Merle Detwiler’s granddaughter, Krista, is an over-the-road truck driver. She delivered the boiler to Kewanee on September 4, 2024. The boiler was taken to MTM Trailers where it will be refurbished and then become part of the Kewanee Boiler Memorial.
The Kewanee Preservation Society is accepting donations for the Kewanee Boiler Memorial at 100 Franklin Street. Donations can be mailed to Kewanee Preservation Society, 113 E. 2nd Street, Kewanee, Illinois 61443. You can also drop off a donation to the same address during business hours.
Kewanee Preservation Society is a 501(c)3 non-profit. Your gift is tax-deductible.
