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Farming
Many early settlers in frontier Illinois harbored irrational fears and superstitions associated with the open prairie. Rumors that the prairies floated on bodies of water and could swallow unwary travelers were common. It was believed that land scarce of timber had poor soil and insufficient water and was not suitable for farming. Settlers would often build their homesteads near groves of forests where they could easily harvest wood to build homes, fences, tools, wagons, and other necessities. As superstition waned and agricultural tools improved, people began settling right on the prairie.
Scott County’s agricultural history is as rich as its alluvial soil. Thousands of years of glaciation scoured the limestone bedrock and deposited an average of 100 feet of fertile soil. The great prairies of Illinois created dark, rich soil called mollisol, formed by the decomposition of prairie plants. The land and climate of Illinois has supported agriculture for over 7000 years and still does today. Come see our collection of farm tools, wagons, and machinery that helped shape our agricultural heritage.
Peter Schuttler Wagon
This high wheel “Chicago” wagon was used by Albert Potter in Lynnville, Illinois, and sold to Raymond Herring. Raymond used the wagon and the International Harvester broadcaster for sowing clover and wheat at this farm in the Hart community, east of Winchester.
The Peter Schuttler Wagon Company was founded in 1843 in Chicago and produced some of the most iconic wagons known for travel to western territories. The company took advantage of the growing demand for heavy vehicles with the rise of westward migration to California during the 1849 Gold Rush. By the middle of the 1850s, Schuttler employed 100 men and manufactured 1,800 wagons each year. Schuttler’s company became one of the leading wagon makers in the United States.
One Box Grain Drill
The one box grain drill was used primarily for drilling or planting wheat or rye between corn rows or putting grain in with one horse. This implement was purchased in June 1986 by Robert Dahman at the estate sale of Edward Leach, who lived and farmed 1.5 miles South of Riggston.
Steel Moldboard Plow
In 1837, John Deere, a blacksmith in Grand Detour, Illinois, used a broken saw blade to manufacture a smooth, concave steel plowshare that was capable of slicing through the matted roots of the prairies. The invention revolutionized life on the prairie. A John Deere steel plow could plow an acre in 5 to 8 hours, a drastic improvement. By 1857, the John Deere company was producing 10,000 plows in its factory in Moline, Illinois. Today, modern equipment can plow an acre in only minutes, but agricultural innovation started with the John Deere plow.
"Buckboard" Wagon donated by Paul Herring
