John Deere House and Shop, National Historic Landmark house museum in Grand Detour, Illinois.
The John Deere House and Shop features the inventor's original 1836 residence alongside a reconstructed blacksmith shop where visitors can observe traditional forging demonstrations and explore archaeological exhibits revealing the foundations of Deere's original workshop.
In 1837, John Deere revolutionized American agriculture by inventing the first steel plow at this Grand Detour location, replacing cast-iron plows that frequently broke in Illinois prairie soil and enabling efficient cultivation of the Midwest's tough terrain.
The site represents 19th-century American rural craftsmanship and the pioneering spirit of early Illinois settlers, showcasing the transition from individual blacksmithing to mass agricultural equipment production that transformed farming communities across the nation.
The museum operates Monday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Sunday from noon to 4 p.m., offering free admission and guided tours that include live blacksmithing demonstrations at the reconstructed workshop.
Archaeological excavations conducted in the 1960s using magnetometry located the exact position of Deere's original forge, allowing historians to recreate the blacksmith shop with precise accuracy based on recovered artifacts and foundation remnants.
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