This summer, you can see John Deere tractors just about anywhere, but can you see them where that…

By News Dept.

This summer, you can see John Deere tractors just about anywhere, but can you see them where that company started 162 years ago? You can if you come to the 1999 Grand Detour Two-Cylinder Days show at the Historic Site July 30, 31, and August 1.

The Historic Site is planning this event in cooperation with four local Two-Cylinder Clubs who will be bringing in over 90 fully restored John Deere tractors and implements from the late 1920’s through the end of the two-cylinder era. These clubs are the North Eastern Illinois Two-Cylinder Clubs, the Northwest Illinois Two-Cylinder Club, the Illinois Valley Two-Cylinder Club, and the Deere Valley Collectors. Members hail from farms and from cities like Chicago, Moline and Peoria. These clubs each get together to learn about restoring tractors and for such fun events as driving these shiny green and yellow tractors in many parades each year.

The Historic Site is in the village of Grand Detour, a shady oasis located north of Dixion where the Rock River loops back to take another look. Grand Detour, back in 1837, was a growing frontier metropolis, a major river port, and was where the young Mr. Deere perfected the first successful “self-polishing” steel plow. The house he built for his family as soon as he arrived in 1836 is a part of the Historic Site as is an archeological exhibit building which houses the excavated remains of his original blacksmith shop. Today, this tiny town retains much of it’s quaint charm, and the Rock River, though greatly reduced in depth, width and economic travel, is picturesque, a sportsman’s paradise and still doubles back on itself to see the village again.

Something new for the 1999 show, will be a John Deere Auction on Saturday, July 31 at 10:30 a.m. “Old Iron Auctions” will be conducting a “John Deere” Collectible Auction filled with literature from Waterloo Boy to the New Generation Series, Toys, Tractors and much more.

Visitors can tour the Historic Site and take in the Tractor Show between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. daily. Admission for the 12 and older is only $3.

For more information, call (815)652-4551 or write 8393 South Main, Grand Detour, Dixion, Illinois 61021.