Spent several hours today at the opening of the museum. Enjoyed seeing and talking tractors with some friends seen only once a year or so.
The museum is pretty neat. Deere spared NO expense making this a showplace with the highest quality displays. There were many museum employees answering questions and escorting small tour groups. They all seemed very concerned about their new facility and I was asked probably five times by different Deere folks if I liked the facility and the exhibits. When Deere decides to do something, they do it first-class, and this museum is no exception.
Personally, I would have liked to see more tractors. There were a total of 13 actual tractors, including two spoker D's, the Froelich re-creation, Waterloo Boy, R, GP, 3010, 70, 730 Hi Crop, the Dain, A, H, and 4020, plus a paint-ready tractor (no sheet metal), a B set up with steps and safety railings for kids and people to climb upon, and a new 4WD tractor also set up for climbing into. However, for the available space, they did a pretty good job of selecting a nice variety to display. There were many other interesting displays and exhibits showing history about many aspects of the Waterloo facility. And, there is a theater near the entrance that shows a movie that outlines a little of the history of Deere and the Waterloo facility.
Don't know how many people noticed the original concrete floors which were ground smooth and polished. It was interesting to see the areas where machine foundations and utility trenches had been cut into the original floor.
The first 3010 - owned by the Kellers
"R" with cab
Spoker D owned by Mike Ostrander
One-of-a-kind Model "R" Waterloo Boy owned by Travis Jorde
The Froelich re-creation made for the 1937 Deere centenial
I asked Jack Beck to stand next to his very nice original GP. Jack showed us a number of unusual and rare pieces on this tractor.
The museum is pretty neat. Deere spared NO expense making this a showplace with the highest quality displays. There were many museum employees answering questions and escorting small tour groups. They all seemed very concerned about their new facility and I was asked probably five times by different Deere folks if I liked the facility and the exhibits. When Deere decides to do something, they do it first-class, and this museum is no exception.
Personally, I would have liked to see more tractors. There were a total of 13 actual tractors, including two spoker D's, the Froelich re-creation, Waterloo Boy, R, GP, 3010, 70, 730 Hi Crop, the Dain, A, H, and 4020, plus a paint-ready tractor (no sheet metal), a B set up with steps and safety railings for kids and people to climb upon, and a new 4WD tractor also set up for climbing into. However, for the available space, they did a pretty good job of selecting a nice variety to display. There were many other interesting displays and exhibits showing history about many aspects of the Waterloo facility. And, there is a theater near the entrance that shows a movie that outlines a little of the history of Deere and the Waterloo facility.
Don't know how many people noticed the original concrete floors which were ground smooth and polished. It was interesting to see the areas where machine foundations and utility trenches had been cut into the original floor.
The first 3010 - owned by the Kellers
"R" with cab
Spoker D owned by Mike Ostrander
One-of-a-kind Model "R" Waterloo Boy owned by Travis Jorde
The Froelich re-creation made for the 1937 Deere centenial
I asked Jack Beck to stand next to his very nice original GP. Jack showed us a number of unusual and rare pieces on this tractor.