2013 Travel Guide
Enjoy Illinois App
John Deere Historic Site
Categories ARTS & CULTUREHISTORYThis historic site is where John Deere (1804-1886) first developed and produced his steel plow, changing the face of farming in the Midwest. Deere erected a simple, one-and-a-half-story clapboard house that resembles a type found in New England. Although the original Deere blacksmith shop was demolished, its archeological excavations and interpreted artifacts are open, sheltered by a pavilion. A reconstructed blacksmith shop located southwest of the original site is furnished with old tools, farm equipment, pioneer utensils, and a working forge. The John Deere Home in Grand Detour was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1964 and placed on the Nation Register of Historic Places in 1966. Copy and descriptions courtesy of AIA Illinois and the 150 GreatPlaces in Illinois www.illinoisgreatplaces.com