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Horse-Drawn 2 Row Corn Planter

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Belonging to the Buchanan Co., Iowa Historical Society and on display at Heartland Acres Agribition Center 2600 Swan lake Blvd. Independence, Iowa. Chronology of the Deere Company indicates that the 1877 Deere & Mansur Company was formed in Moline, Illinois to manufacture corn planters. A separate organization from the similarly named Kansas City branch, will…

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Crabb Gas Engine Co.

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Crabb Gas Engine Company was organized in 1910 by Isiah E. Crabb and J.W. Dwyer. The Crabb engine featured a distinctive water hopper fabricated of sheet copper. In case of freezing the copper jacket would yield, thus preventing serious damage and expensive repairs. This improvement was covered under U.S. Patent 1,008,789 on November 14, 1911.…

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Sherman-Smith Mfg

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In early 1906 John W. Smith filed patent papers covering a carburetor and another application on a governing mechanism. About 1908 Smith took a partner and formed Sherman-Smith Mfg. Co. at Stanley, Iowa. The plant site was soon moved to nearby Independence, Iowa. Patent 955,218 of 1910 typified the designs of Sherman-Smith horizontal engines. During…

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Independence Breweries

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“Seeland Brewery (now being remodeled as a private residence) located at 1010 4th St. NE and listed on the local Heritage Trail #18. Seeland Brewery was the smaller of the 2 breweries located in the city. Christian Seeland of Baden, Germany established the brewery in 1859 and manufactured 650 barrels of lager beer annually. The…

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O.M. Pond Barb Wire Patents

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The beginning for the need of barbed wire was seen in the year of 1867 as a few men applied, that year, for patents pertaining to restraining wire with sharp points to turn and to hold livestock. From 1867 until 1880, hundreds of wires were patented. Some men claimed patent infringements and there were quite…

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The PAST has never seemed more PRESENT!

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Quote from 1914 Buchanan Co. History Vol. 1 p. 224 “Independence in the Early Sixties” (1860’s) The streets in Independence in the early days were always in a dreadful condition. They were uneven and muddy, the sidewalks were a menace to life and limb. The first sidewalks in town were of oak, or elm boards,…

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Buchanan County Historic Preservation Commission

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This 5- person board is appointed by the Buchanan Co. Board of Supervisors at the beginning of each year.  This commission is ruled by By-Laws established in 1993.  The commission meets quarterly to discuss applications of historic places and making comments.   The commission works with the State Historic Preservation Office, as well as the National…

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