John Deere history

Since the moment John Deere’s first polished-steel plow was created in 1837, the company has been developing agricultural equipment to simplify the crop production process for farmers around the world. John Deere combines have been an instrumental vehicle in assisting this process for over 90 years, giving farmers top of the line generational technology to thresh and harvest their crops, maximizing productivity day in and day out.

John Deere has a rich 175-year history of machinery production which covers a range of industries, including agriculture and construction, and serves both commercial and residential purposes. Let’s dig deeper and explore details about the production of these industry-specific machines, as well as more details about the different product lines currently offered. 

A Brief History of the John Deere Organization

Many critical moments in John Deere history date all the way back to 1837. In the beginning, John Deere was a blacksmith in Grand Detour, IL who wanted to make farmers’ jobs easier. Fast forward over 180 years, and his company is still manufacturing all kinds of equipment with the same purpose in mind – to help customers, especially farmers, be as productive as possible. 

When customers think of John Deere, Illinois might immediately come to mind, but many people are unaware that the company had a strong presence in Kansas – specifically Kansas City – around the time of its humble beginnings. From early on in John Deere’s history, this city was recognized as playing an important role in the development of the company.

The Decision to Go West

John Deere always had his sights set on territories beyond Illinois. Before the turn of the 20th century, the company had employed a network of travelers, or salesmen, who trekked across the country to make arrangements with dealers to carry Deere products. As the company grew, so did its fleet of traveling salesmen. During this time, business had started to evolve, as well.

Today, John Deere is known for its award-winning innovations, but have you ever really thought about how we got here? The most critical moments in John Deere history date back to 1837 when the man himself, John Deere, was a blacksmith in Grand Detour, IL who wanted to make farmers’ jobs a bit easier. Fast forward over 180 years, and this company is still manufacturing equipment with the same purpose in mind – helping customers be as productive as possible. While Deere is widely known for its various tractor models, these machines were not being produced until 1918 – this is when the company purchased the Waterloo Engine Gas Company.

Key moments in John Deere history have all led up to what this company is today. Throughout time, various components have worked in Deere’s favor to consistently keep this business up to speed along the way. The invention of film was one of them, and there were several reasons for this. Film gave Deere the opportunity to showcase its products and highlight their features. In turn, this was another selling opportunity, giving the company a leg up on its competitors.

Over the past 100 years, John Deere has been working to constantly improve their equipment and make history, especially when it comes to tractors. Innovation has been a key to success within the company and it’s what has kept people coming back for more than a century.

Since the beginning, new developments have been in the works in order to ensure “a tractor for every farm, crop, purpose.” These developments started out with purchasing the Waterloo Gasoline Engine Company, manufacturers of Waterloo Boy tractors, and have continued into more recent years with the introduction of technologies like Autotrac.

100 years of innovation, technology, and design have gone into making John Deere tractors what they are today. For their centennial year, John Deere is looking back at their tractors through the years to see how far they’ve come.

Go back in time and watch John Deere’s tractor history unfold.

John Deere Tractors at 100 – The Legend Runs On

In 1918, John Deere bought the Waterloo Gasoline Engine Company and showcased the Waterloo Boy Tractor at trade shows around the country. This tractor revolutionized farming and was incredibly popular among farmers. Shortly thereafter, the Model D Tractor was unveiled as an improved version of the Waterloo Boy.

For over 100 years, John Deere has made a commitment to producing quality tractors that customers have relied on for generations. Their founder, John Deere, famously said: “I will never put my name on a product that does not have the best that is in me.”

When John Deere acquired the Waterloo Gasoline Engine Company in 1918, it was a natural extension of the quality products they were already producing. Fast forward 100 years and John Deere Waterloo Works builds the 6, 7, 8, and 9 series John Deere tractors. Let’s take a look at how John Deere builds them.

John Deere has a long history of developing quality agricultural equipment like the John Deere 34 Forage Harvester for their loyal customers. These strong machines were built to last and for many, they’re legacy pieces that have been in their family for generations.

Let’s go back in time to 1967 and take a closer look at this “Out of the Vault” video featuring the first John Deere 34 Forage Harvester ever created.

Out of the Vault: John Deere 34 Forage Harvester