View of Early Holt Steam Caterpillar Tractor, circa 1900
THF201399 / View of Early Holt Steam Caterpillar Tractor, circa 1900
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Artifact Overview
American inventor and entrepreneur Benjamin Holt envisioned a practical mechanical alternative to horse-drawn machinery. He designed a continuous track propulsion system - seen on this early model - for the steam traction engine. Holt's company, driven by these innovative "caterpillar" treads, became an industry leader and eventually evolved into the hugely successful Caterpillar manufacturing corporation.
Artifact Details
Artifact
Photographic print
Subject Date
circa 1900
Collection Title
Location
By Request in the Benson Ford Research Center
Object ID
80.130.9
Credit
From the Collections of The Henry Ford.
Material
Paper (Fiber product)
Technique
Gelatin silver process
Color
Black-and-white (Colors)
Dimensions
Height: 7 in
Width: 9.75 in
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Related Content
SetEmergence of the Tractor
- 15 Artifacts
American agriculture entered a "golden age" during the late nineteenth century. High market prices for wheat drove farmers to the Plains and Western states where they carved out large -- and profitable -- "bonanza" farms. Innovative machinery reduced labor costs and a competitive traction engine industry emerged. In the 1910s, to meet the needs of farmers with less acreage, these steam-powered traction engines evolved into today's iconic tractor.