John Deere Pavilion

John Deere Pavilion, Moline

The town of Moline is clearly dependent on John Deere, not least because it's the site of their world headquarters and one or two manufacturing plants.  This pavilion offers displays about the company's history and some of its current products.

John Deere Pavilion

This post is mostly explanations of the photos I took there.  You can see all the windows, and the sun was just at the right angle then to make it hard for me to find a non-glare angle for photos.  And even when the sun wasn't a problem, the interior lighting was.  But I hope there's enough here for you to get some sense of what they had.

read this first

read right half of this 2nd

You can see my glare problem.  This sign explains a little about John Deere, the man - using some flowery descriptions, but hey, so what.

sticky Midwest soil

the invented solution

If you can expand these photos, they explain pretty well what Deere's bright idea was.  Seems simple, once you know, but he was the first to think of it.

where the trademark came from

early competition

beginning of their tractors

Seems odd now, but expanding into tractors was controversial back then. 

info re: the early tractor

early tractor

They let visitors climb on many of the things they have displayed, but this tractor (left) is a gen-u-ine antique, so they asked folks to stay off.

info about other products and WWII production

fancy new 1932 tractor

the 1932, minus the spikes

I couldn't help but notice, as I went through the pavilion, that the basic tractors never really seemed to change.  Sure they got fancier, but the newest one (below) is essential the same as the originals.

explains the new tractor

the new basic tractor

they developed specialized equipment

one of the original forestry machines

explains the machine (left)

a modern hay baler

attaches to the monster at right

think of climbing into this thing daily

From the enormous ...

info re mower (right)

autonomous mower recharging

... to daffodil-sized.

modern cotton picking

The pavilion has a special play area for children and is obviously aiming for next generation approval by allowing them on the equipment.   Start 'em early is a good philosophy, and this business has clearly adopted it.

Of course there's a large gift store in the next building and, cleverly, beyond that are other stores and restaurants - showing that they're a part of the community and encouraging folks to linger in the area.  These guys are smart.

The pavilion had several docents easily available to answer questions or provide personal tours if desired.  It was all interesting and well presented and I'm glad I stopped by.