12/22/2025
Seen on the "Daily Machines"page....
An Albertan’s 60-Truck Tribute to International Harvester
For George Kirkham of Lethbridge, Alberta, International Harvester trucks aren’t just a hobby; they are a lifelong calling. Raised in an International household, George grew up immersed in the brand. His father spent nearly 40 years as Southern Alberta’s zone manager for International Harvester, and George was surrounded by trucks, manuals, and dealership life from an early age. By the time he was five, he jokes, he was already trying to sell International Scouts.
As a teenager, Kirkham restored International trucks through high school and college, building skills that would stay with him for life. Aside from one brief “wandering” with a Dodge, his loyalty to International never wavered.
In 1978, Kirkham began selling International trucks in Lethbridge. When the dealership was sold in 1985, he was ready. Using modest savings, financial backing, and sheer determination, he co-founded Southland International Trucks. The early years were demanding, with long days, weekends, and little time for anything else. His personal restoration projects came to a standstill.
By 1989, as the business stabilized, Kirkham returned to restoring vintage International trucks, determined to preserve the brand’s history. Founded in 1902, International Harvester produced everything from farm equipment to pioneering pickup trucks, Travelalls, and Scouts before ending light-truck production by 1980.
Kirkham acquired trucks through classifieds, word of mouth, and sometimes simply by people leaving them on his property. As restorations accumulated, space became an issue. What began as a small garage grew into a 22,500-square-foot, climate-controlled building housing 60 fully restored International trucks, a space Kirkham calls his “toy shop,” though many consider it an International Harvester museum.
The collection is filled with restored trucks, vintage signage, and historical photographs. It’s also a deeply personal space. Kirkham’s daughter, Shelby, worked alongside him in the shop and at age 15 restored a 1960 International B100 with her father, contributing more than 400 of the 1,100 hours it took to complete. Today, that truck remains a centerpiece of the collection.
Kirkham regularly opens the museum to the public, welcoming schoolchildren, students, and community groups. The space has even hosted funerals, somber occasions softened by shared memories and smiles.
“It always surprises me how many people connect with these trucks,” Kirkham says. “They have a calming effect. They bring people together.”
For George Kirkham, preserving International Harvester history isn’t about collecting; it’s about honoring family, craftsmanship, and a lifetime of passion.
