Mechanization of Agriculture and the Farm Machinery Industry (1830–1920)

1. McCormick patents mechanical reaper

   Jun 21, 1834Labels: Cyrus McCormick, Mechanical Reaper

   • Cyrus McCormick
   • McCormick reaper

2. John Deere builds successful steel plow

   Jan 1, 1837Labels: John Deere, Steel Plow

   • NIHF
   • ASABE

3. McCormick secures reaper-improvement patent

   Jan 31, 1845Labels: Cyrus McCormick, Reaper Improvement

   • Cyrus McCormick

4. McCormick moves manufacturing to Chicago

   Jan 1, 1847Labels: McCormick Works, Chicago

   • McCormick reaper
   • International timeline

5. USDA established as federal agriculture agency

   May 15, 1862Labels: USDA, Abraham Lincoln

   • USDA blog
   • USDA agency

6. Morrill Act creates land-grant college system

   Jul 2, 1862Labels: Morrill Act, Land-Grant Colleges

   • National Archives
   • Morrill Acts

7. Deere & Company incorporated

   Jan 1, 1868Labels: Deere &, John Deere

   • NIHF

8. Great Chicago Fire damages McCormick works

   Oct 8, 1871Labels: Great Chicago, McCormick Works

   • Leander McCormick

9. Glidden granted barbed-wire patent

   Nov 24, 1874Labels: Joseph Glidden, Barbed Wire

   • National Archives
   • Joseph Glidden

10. Hatch Act funds agricultural experiment stations

    Mar 2, 1887Labels: Hatch Act, Experiment Stations

    • Hatch Act
    • OSU AgSci

11. Rural Free Delivery begins postal experiment

    Oct 1, 1896Labels: Rural Free, Post Office

    • USPS history

12. International Harvester formed by major merger

    Mar 22, 1902Labels: International Harvester, Major Merger

    • International Harvester
    • International timeline

13. Rural Free Delivery becomes permanent service

    Jul 1, 1902Labels: Rural Free, USPS Service

    • USPS history

14. Smith–Lever Act creates Cooperative Extension system

    May 8, 1914Labels: Smith Lever, Cooperative Extension

    • NIFA history
    • Smith Lever Act

15. Federal Aid Road Act funds rural post roads

    Jul 11, 1916Labels: Federal Aid, Rural Roads

    • Federal Aid Road

16. Fordson tractor debuts for sale

    Oct 8, 1917Labels: Fordson Tractor, Ford Motor

    • Fordson

17. Fordson tractors expand production in wartime years

    Jan 1, 1918Labels: Fordson Tractor, Wartime Production

    • Fordson
    • Smithsonian