Views of cook car prior to restoration. Click to see a better quality larger image. This will take a long time over a modem connection.

Carl Gaber is organizing the restoration work on this cook car. As of May 22nd, 2005 the rear room has been leveled with big heavy rods and wood is being replaced after it was power washed. The front, back and right side have been restored and painted white. Mel did the painting thus far. We are awaiting spring to resume work.

Three sides with primer painted by Mell‘O’Dee Gaber                                         Wendell Landon putting the finishing touches on the front restoration.

Finished product during 2007 Parade                                                    Treva Schorman submitted this wood burn reflection of  this cook car.

History of Cook Cars
    Cook cars were restaurants on wheels where meals were prepared for threshing crews. Hours were long and the days were hot. The day usually began at 4 a.m.  The first job was to see that there were clean towels, soap and water outside for the men to wash.  This job was repeated at noon and again in the evening.  Tables were set and the men were served while they were eating three meals a day plus lunches. Sourdough pancakes were made.  Some sourdough was kept  for a new batch.  They baked all their bread, cookies, and pies.  Baking was done on a coal and wood stove.  They had lunch ready morning and afternoon to send out with the grain haulers. The women who cooked in cook cars went right along with the rigs.  Forty cents an hour was considered good wages for a woman. 

Cooks were  up early to start the breakfast.   Breakfast was toast or pancakes, eggs and bacon or hot cereal for 20 to 25 men every day.  The men sat at a long table with benches at each side.  Some one would do the breakfast dishes while the head cook did the baking or started the forenoon lunch.  Meat and potatoes and vegetables were a big part of the menu.  The cooks baked all the bread, cookies, cake and doughnuts.  There would be pie or pudding with the noon meal.  Afternoon lunch was sent to the field with the grain haulers. After the noon dishes were washed, the cooks washed the dishtowels on a washboard and then mopped the floor. Flies were always a problem even with sticky flypaper, and the cooks would shoo them out with towel in hand. Peaches and cream were often the dessert at suppertime .They got milk, cream and eggs from the farmer.  The owner of the rig went to town almost every day for meat.  There was no refrigeration.  Cooking was done on a coal and wood stove.  All the water had to be carried in and the slop pail was always full, it seemed. After the supper dishes were done it was time to set the table and turn the plates upside down over the silver. Bedtime for the cooks, if they were lucky, was 11 p.m., and often it was midnight.  In some cars the cooks slept on a cot behind a curtain at one end of the cook car.

The cook car below is located on a Farmstead in Durham Township, ND.  It was first by owned Paul Hockstead or Max Donnut and now rests on the property where Electa Marier Smith lived while she was married to John Henry Van Winkle. Electa was born February 10, 1883 and John was born on July 18,1882.

It was moved off the farm in April of 2005 by Bertel Kracht (grandson of John and Electa) and his son-in-law, Bernard Hoggarth.
A trailer was specially built by Kevin Vanderlin of Gilby, ND    

Ready to paint May 2005 This car was paraded in Kensal ND on July 9th, 2005.

This Cook Car is preserved in Minto, North Dakota.  These pictures were taken on April 3rd, 2005

   This cook car is in New Rockford, ND These pictures were taken on April 5th, 2005