ANOTHER COMPANY LONG ASSOCIATED WITH AGRICULTURE IN ILLINOIS HAS A NEW EXHIBIT FOR
VISITORS AS WE DISCOVERED AT THE
JOHN DEERE PAVILION IN MOLINE.
IN 1836, JOHN DEERE RELOCATED TO
GRAND TOUR ILLINOIS WHERE HE
EVENTUALLY STARTED MAKING A PLOW
THAT BROKE THE PRAIRIE.
THE NEED FOR BETTER
TRANSPORTATION FORCED HIM TO
MOVE AGAIN, THIS TIME TO MOLINE
ON THE BANKS OF THE MISSISSIPPI
RIVER.
IN FACT, HIS NEW SHOP WAS
LOCATED JUST A COUPLE OF BLOCKS
FROM THE PAVILION, WHICH
SHOWCASES HIS COMPANY'S HISTORY,
PRODUCTS AND THE BUSINESS OF
AGRICULTURE.
>>
THE PAVILION IS IN THE TOP FIVE TOURIST ATTRACTIONS WITHIN THE STATE OF ILLINOIS.
WE ARE PLEASED TO SAY THAT WE
CONTINUE GETTING ACCOLADES AND
WE SEE A QUARTER OF A MILLION
PEOPLE THROUGH OUR DOORS EACH
YEAR.
>>
THE DESIGN OF THE FACILITY WERE 14,000 SQUARE FEET, BEAUTIFUL BRICK AND MORTAR.
ACTUALLY DESIGNED TO LOOK LIKE A
PAVILION AT A FAIR GROUNDS.
THEME OF OUR FACILITY IS SOOT
AND FIBER.
THROUGH THE PEEK, WE HAVE NINE
TRUSTS DESIGN CREATED BY MODERN
DAY BLACKSMITH OUT OF MUR
PHYSICAL' BURROW, JOHN MEDEWITH.
HE DID A BURET FULL JOB.
WE HAVE JOB I HOPPER'S TWO
CYLINDER TRACTOR, WE HAVE THE
NEW GENERATION CYLINDER TRACTORS
OF THE LATE FIEF ACE AND WE HAVE
MODERN DAY EQUIPMENT, ACTUALLY
BLENDS OF EACH.
THE MOST ATTENTION FOR THE
SENIOR GUESTS ON THE FLOOR ARE
THE ANTIQUE JOHNNY HOPPERS,
BECAUSE THEY LOVE TO STAND HERE
AND TALK ABOUT WHAT THEY DID AND
WHAT THEY OWNED OR WHAT THEY
DROVE.
THE YOUNGER, THE PRETEENS
ACTUALLY LIKE THE NEW PIECES OF
QUIM BECAUSE WE OPEN THE CAB,
AND THEY CAN ACTUALLY CLIMB ON
BOARD AND ACT AS IF THEY ARE OUT
IN THE FIELD TODAY.
LOOK HOW FAR YOU CAN SEE.
OUR WATERLOO BOY.
IT IS ACTUALLY THE CENTERPIECE
OF THIS FACILITY.
WE ACTUALLY ACQUIRED THAT
COMPANY, THE WATER LOO GASOLINE
COMPANY IN 1918.
WE HAVE A BEAUTIFUL SPECIMEN
THAT'S BEEN RESTORED, IT TOOK
520 HOURS TO RESTORE THAT PIECE,
AND TES REALLY AN EYE CATCHER.
OUR FRONT HARD SCAPE IS 12,000
SQUARE FEET.
WE A ADORN THE HARD SCAPE IN
SPRING, SUMMER AND FALL WITH THE
COLLECTION OF ALL THE EQUIPMENT
WE PRODUCE, AG CONSTRUCTION,
GOLF AND TURF, AND LAWN AND
GARDEN.
WE HAVE THE GENDER STORE LOCATED
ADJACENT TO THE OUR FACILITY.
IT HAS THOUSANDS OF PIECES OF
MERCHANDISE AND MEMORABILIA WITH
THE LEAPING DEER LOGO JUST
SHINING ON IT.
WE ARE ACTUALLY AN EDUCATIONAL
FACILITY.
WE HAVE INTERACT TIVE EXHIBITS
THAT ARE IT TOUCH SCREEN
EXHIBITS THAT ANYONE OF ANY AGE.
THEY ARE NON-INTIMIDATING.
THEY CAN STEP UP, TOUCH THE
SCREEN AND LEARN ABOUT PAST
PRACTICES OF AGRICULTURE,
PRESENT AND HOW WE WILL SEE THE
IT FUTURE POPULATION.
WE HAVE THE FEATURED FILM CALLED
"THE BOUNTY:" IT IS A TEN MINUTE
MOVIE, AND ACTUALLY TAKES YOU ON
THE FARM FROM THE PLANTING TO
HARVEST SEASON.
WE REFRESH EXHIBITS YEARLY. WE
CHANGE THE FLOOR EXHIBITS WITH
PRODUCTS EVERY MARCH.
EACH YEAR WE TAKE ONE OF THE
INTERACTIVE EXHIBITS AND ENHANCE
IT SOMEHOW.
THEY HAVE PURCHASED THE BUILDING
A BLOCK EAST OF HERE.
WITHIN MONTHS, WE WILL OPEN THE
NEW FACILITY CALLED THE JOHN
DEERE COLLECTOR CENTER WHICH
PRIME EXHIBIT THERE IS A MOWING
TRACTOR AND PLOW DEALERSHIP
WHICH IS GOING TO BE A JOHN
DEERE DEALERSHIP RIGHT OUT OF
THE 50'S.
WE HAVE A PAINT BOOTH THAT WE
WILL ACTUALLY BE ABLE TO TAKE
OUR GUESTS THERE AND THEY WILL
SEE TRACTORS OF THE TWO SILL
CYLINDER ERA BEING BROKEN DOWN
BEING BEING PUT BACK TOGETHER
AND REFURBISHED IN THAT FACILITY
>> THE MOST FUN FOR ME IS THE
UNIQUE NES OF OUR GUEST BASEMENT
PEOPLE WANT TO BE HERE.
PEOPLE ENJOY BEING HERE.
TO REACH THE JOHN DEERE PAVILION CALL (309)765-1000.