Agriculture - Overview
From butter churns to diesel tractors, the Museum's agricultural artifacts trace the story of Americans who work the land. Agricultural tools and machinery in the collections range from a John Deere plow of the 1830s to 20th-century cultivators and harvesters. The Museum's holdings also include overalls, aprons, and sunbonnets; farm photographs; milk cans and food jars; handmade horse collars; and some 200 oral histories of farm men and women in the South. Prints in the collections show hundreds of scenes of rural life. The politics of agriculture are part of the story, too, told in materials related to farm workers' unions and a group of artifacts donated by the family of the labor leader Cesar Chavez.
"Agriculture - Overview" showing 197 items.
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Rumely Oil Pull Tractor, 20-40
- Description
- In 1923, John Ploesch purchased this Rumely Oil Pull tractor for $4,000 from an Advance-Rumely dealer in Woodbine, Illinois. He arranged with neighbors to thresh their crops, organizing what was called a threshing ring that lasted until 1948. The Rumely Oil Pull was belted to the threshing machine that separated the grain. Threshing became a major social event for farmers, laborers, and their families.
- The Rumely Oil Pull was the first tractor to use an oil cooling system, which kept the engine at a steady temperature no matter how heavy the tractor's load. The cooling system allowed hotter cylinders and easier ignition. The Oil Pull starts on gas but runs on kerosene, making it much lighter and easier to maneuver than its steam-driven predecessors. This Rumely Oil Pull weighs seven tons.
- Rumely engineers also made space for an extra person in the tractor's cab, gave the operator a clear view in every direction, and placed all the mechanisms--gear shift, clutch, foot brake, steering wheel, carburetor, and more--in easy reach. These new design elements helped the Rumely Oil Pull to surpass most old kerosene tractors, and many of these features were further refined in gasoline-powered machines.
- Because of their hot-riveted steel frame construction, Rumely Oil Pulls lasted through years of harvests. Some were still in use as late as the 1960s.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- date made
- 1923
- maker
- Advance Rumely Company
- assembler
- Miller, Ronald E.
- ID Number
- 1988.0372.01
- catalog number
- 1988.0372.01
- accession number
- 1988.0372
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History, Kenneth E. Behring Center
Apple Crate Label
- Description (Brief)
- Labels are an important marketing device. They often go beyond merely identifying contents and are designed to help establish brand distinction and generate customer loyalty for a largely interchangeable product.
- This Revelation brand apple crate label was used by the John A. Eck Company of Chicago, Illinois during the beginning of the 20th century. The lithographed blue label has an illustration of two red apples still on the branch.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- referenced business
- John A. Eck Co.
- ID Number
- 1979.0441.012
- accession number
- 1979.0441
- catalog number
- 1979.0441.012
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History, Kenneth E. Behring Center
Yeast Shipping Crate
- Description (Brief)
- This Magic Yeast shipping crate end is printed with Magic Yeast’s owl and moon trademark on a red background. Magic Yeast was originally formulated and manufactured by Egbert W. Gillett in 1886, and in 1893 he founded the Northwestern Yeast Company to manufacture Magic Yeast and its companion product, Yeast Foam.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- referenced business
- Northwestern Yeast Co.
- ID Number
- 1979.0441.168
- catalog number
- 1979.0441.168
- accession number
- 1979.0441
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History, Kenneth E. Behring Center
Baking Powder Shipping Crate
- Description (Brief)
- This shipping crate end is imprinted with “Calument Baking Powder” text and Native American head trademark. William Wright formulated Calumet Baking Powder in Chicago, Illinois in 1889. The powder was named after Calumet City, a town near Chicago. Calumet was also the Native American term for peace pipe, and Calumet used the profile of a Native American in a headdress as its trademark. Calumet was bought by General Foods bought in 1929.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- referenced business
- Calumet Baking Powder Company
- ID Number
- 1979.0441.172
- catalog number
- 1979.0441.172
- accession number
- 1979.0441
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History, Kenneth E. Behring Center
Salmon Shipping Crate
- Description (Brief)
- This shipping crate side contained Happy-Vale brand pink salmon that was shipped by the Emery Food Company of Chicago, Illinois. The crate contained four dozen one-pound packages of Happy-Vale salmon.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- referenced business
- Emery Food Co.
- ID Number
- 1979.0441.176
- catalog number
- 1979.0441.176
- accession number
- 1979.0441
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History, Kenneth E. Behring Center
Baking Powder Shipping Crate
- Description (Brief)
- This shipping crate side contained KC brand baking powder that was manufactured by the Jaques Manufacturing Company of Chicago, Illinois during the early 20th century. The crate contained two dozen 25 ounce cans of baking powder. The company advertised through a popular recipe booklet called “The Cook’s Book.”
- Location
- Currently not on view
- referenced business
- Jaques Mfg. Co.
- ID Number
- 1979.0441.191
- catalog number
- 1979.0441.191
- accession number
- 1979.0441
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History, Kenneth E. Behring Center
Spinach Shipping Crate
- Description (Brief)
- This shipping crate end is imprinted with the “Libby’s” script of the manufacturing firm Libby, McNeil, and Libby. This crate contained Fancy California Spinach. Archibald McNeil and Charles and Arthur Libby founded the Chicago based company in 1868. Originally specializing in canned meats, Libby’s began to produce canned fruits and vegetables in the early 20th century. Libby, McNeil and Libby was purchased by Nestle in 1971.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- referenced business
- Libby, McNeill & Libby
- ID Number
- 1979.0441.214
- catalog number
- 1979.0441.214
- accession number
- 1979.0441
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History, Kenneth E. Behring Center
Yeast Shipping Crate
- Description (Brief)
- This Magic Yeast shipping crate end is printed with Magic Yeast’s owl and moon trademark. Magic Yeast was formulated and manufactured by Egbert W. Gillett in 1886. In 1893 Gillett founded the Northwestern Yeast Company in Chicago, Illinois, to manufacture Magic Yeast and its companion product, Yeast Foam. In 1929 the company was merged with four others by J.P. Morgan to create Standard Brands.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- referenced business
- Northwestern Yeast Co.
- ID Number
- 1979.0441.222
- catalog number
- 1979.0441.222
- accession number
- 1979.0441
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History, Kenneth E. Behring Center
Ink Shipping Crate
- Description (Brief)
- This is a Sanford Ink Company shipping crate side. The Sanford Manufacturing Company was founded in Worcester, Massachusetts in 1857. The company relocated to Chicago in 1866 and became a large producer of ink and glue products in its early years before focusing on ink and being renamed the Sanford Ink Company in 1940. Sanford introduced the Sharpie marker in 1964, which went on to become one of its best selling products. Sanford was purchased by the Newell Company in 1992.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- referenced business
- Sanford Corporation
- ID Number
- 1979.0441.226
- catalog number
- 1979.0441.226
- accession number
- 1979.0441
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History, Kenneth E. Behring Center
Brush Shipping Crate
- Description (Brief)
- This shipping crate side contained one dozen Moose brand scrubs manufactured by the Royal Brush & Broom Company of Chicago, Illinois during the early 20th century. The wooden crate side has black text.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- referenced business
- Royal Brush & Broom Co.
- ID Number
- 1979.0441.237
- catalog number
- 1979.0441.237
- accession number
- 1979.0441
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History, Kenneth E. Behring Center