Together, the property purchased by John Deere consisted of a foundry and large machine shops located in the Red Cedar addition, real estate consisting of nearly fifty acres, and the complex on Cedar Street that sprawled half a city block which was covered with buildings. At the time of its purchase, the Waterloo Gasoline Engine Company had on file orders for 2,774 tractors and 4,617 engines. The wholesale value of these items totaled around $ 2,330,983.
The Courier summed up the feelings of the Cedar Valley when it stated that "Waterloo extends a hearty welcome to Deere & Company. The newcomers will benefit by the fame for excellence established by Waterloo's manufactured products and added prestige in the business world will accrue to Waterloo through Deere becoming identified with the factory city."3
As John Deere got down to business in Waterloo, new products emerged from the assembly lines. Most notably was the model "D." The "D" was the first Waterloo-built tractor to wear the John Deere name with pride. Ultimately, the "D" was produced from March 1, 1923, until July 3, 1953. The "D" was popular among farmers for several reasons. It ran on low-cost fuel, could be serviced from a standing position, was reasonably priced, and could pull three fourteen-inch plow bottoms through most soils. The "D" produced twenty-seven horsepowers from the pulley and fifteen at the drawbar.
Until 1960 all Waterloo-built John Deere tractors maintained the two-cylinder engine. Deere took a gamble here, especially when other competitors, such as International Harvester, utilized four cylinders. Deere engineers liked the two-cylinder design for various reasons; they had less moving parts than larger engines, thus they needed fewer repairs. Also, the simple engine design guaranteed that the farmer would be able to do simple maintenance himself. Finally, the two-cylinder engines were economical, which is what allowed John Deere tractor to become so popular.
| Once John Deere established itself in Waterloo, the company began to grow rapidly. Within eleven years of coming to this city, John Deere employed three thousand people and had a payroll of $ 6,000,000. In 1928, the John Deere Tractor Company doubled its plant size and workforce. New buildings were erected and the plant itself was rearranged so production would run more smoothly. Raw materials entered at one end of the plant, while the finished product exited the other. The 1928 expansion not only increased industrial output in Waterloo, but also improved the working conditions of the employees who worked there. |  |
In that year, the total value of tractor products sold to the farmer was estimated at around $25,000,000. John Deere provided prosperity to the business establishments in Waterloo that served the workers' needs. The Courier reiterated that "One of the causes of our community's progress is industrial growth. Waterloo has become a manufacturing center with a reputation which is spreading in ever widening circles throughout the world."4 Today, that reputation is even stronger than it was seventy years ago.
Waterloo, Iowa, at that time was home to the largest tractor manufacturing facility under one roof in the world. John Deere, like the Cedar Valley, would continue to grow and prosper together. Today, this company remains one of the most important in the area. Clearly, John Deere has had a very positive impact on the Cedar Valley. The company still employs thousands of hourly and salaried employees. The concept of the tractor not only helped John Deere to become the largest tractor manufacturer in the world, but has also made Waterloo, Iowa, famous throughout the world for quality craftsmanship.
