June 11, 2001

Fertilizer: a fast-growing business
Deere decides bumper crops will help sell more machinery

One of the more mysterious aspects of the Deere story involves the brief history of the John Deere Chemical Company in Pryor, Oklahoma, from 1952 to 1965.

According to Company historians, Charles Wiman (Charles Deere’s grandson) instigated the venture after a visit to the U.S. Department of Agriculture in Washington, D.C.

That’s where Wiman became convinced that fertilizer manufacturing was a viable proposition for Deere & Company’s future. He then proposed the idea to the board and fought until it was approved.

He faced much opposition and reluctance from his fellow board members. But this Yale graduate would not be swayed. He finally convinced enough of the board to halfheartedly agree. A public stock offering and a land deal near the Grand River Dam Authority power plant followed.

"Deere’s soundskulled (sic) country boys can see a mite beyond the visible horizon. A foothold in synthetic fertilizers will work double dividends, they calculate. In the 13-state midwestern corn and wheat belt which Dere figures to supply from Pryor, nitro-fertilizer demand in 1955 is expected to quadruple 1950’s consumption. Corn planters are learning that nitrates increase per-acre yield from 40 to 100 bushels. By thus aiding the farmer (tentative plans call for selling bulk urea, non-trademarked, to fertilizer makers) to more abundant harvests, demand for machinery will become more abundant too."

More fertilizer

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John Deere also branded a full line of farm chemicals as seen with this clear plastic dealer display of vials showing the fertilizer concentrations available.

Passing the torch: Wiman to Hewitt

Charles Deere Wiman found out he had a fatal illness in 1954. He had been head of Deere since 1928 but now had to consider who would succeed him. According to company history, Wiman narrowed the list to three people —İone of which was his own son-in-law, William Hewitt. At 40 years young, Hewitt had a college degree and some work experience from Deere’s San Francisco branch under his belt.

Wiman was worried about how it would look if he named his son-in-law to be his successor. One of his letters says this: "Your conclusions about Bill H. are what I am now thinking of —İI think he’d fill the bill best of all! However, gosh, I wish he were not my son-in-law — for it will look to so many that I am trying to push ‘one of the family.’ It would be so easy to push for his presidency otherwise —İon all counts."

When Wiman died on May 12, 1955, he handed the reins to his own son-in-law. Shortly after, William Alexander Hewitt was officially elected as Deere’s sixth president. Hewitt would be at the helm until 1982, helping the Company earn industry leadership status and worldwide respect. His first decade in office had several important highlights. One of which is the major new model launch of the New Generation tractors at the 1960 Deere Day in Dallas. Another milestone is the 1964 construction of the Deere Administrative Center in Moline, which was designed by famous architect Eero Sarrinen and has been affectionately nicknamed the "Rusty Palace."

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While not everyone was as excited about the new fertilizer plant as Wiman, all Deere’s directors posed in front of the Pryor, Oklahoma, plant in October 1963. (Deere Archives photo from page 601 of John Deere’s Company by Broehl)

fert rustypalace.jpg (17058 bytes) Designed by Eero Saarinen, the "Rusty Palace" in Moline, Illinois, has been Deere & Company headquarters since it opened in June 1964. Known as the Deere Administration Center, the exterior is made of unpainted steel girders called "Cor-Ten." These beams weather and rust naturally in the elements and also serve an environmental purpose in shielding the many office windows from bright sunlight and heat. Not only is the building worth visiting for its architectural fame, it also houses an amazing wall-length mural of antiques and memorabilia highlighting the history of Deere and farming in America.

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Originally a soil sample bag, this small paper sack is now stained with some substance that can’t quite be identified. But the 4-legged deer logo clearly brands this as John Deere.