This is a photograph of John Froelich, a resident of Froelich, Iowa, which was named after his family. In 1892, Froelich invented the first gasoline-powered tractor that could move both forward and in reverse. He then started the Waterloo Gasoline Traction Engine Company with other investors located in Waterloo, Iowa, in 1893. This company developed the "Waterloo Boy" tractor, which burned kerosene as it was a cheaper fuel for farmers to purchase. Froelich left the company in 1895 after it shifted its focus to gasoline-powered motors. He eventually settled in St. Paul, Minnesota and worked as a financial advisor. Froelich received 14 different patents during his lifetime, and he was later inducted into the Iowa Inventors Hall of Fame. He passed away in 1933. Despite Froelich's departure from the company, the Waterloo Gasoline Traction Engine Company grew in size for many years. The John Deere Company eventually purchased it in 1918. Content can be used with the following standards: 4th grade SS 4.26 Changes to Agriculture in a lesson on developments to agriculture made in the late 1800s. For any use other than instructional resources, please check with the organization that owns this item regarding copyright restrictions.
2018.037.001 [Print, Photographic]
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Ownership of this resource is held by the Froelich Foundation 1890s Village Museum and has been provided here for educational purposes only, specifically for use in the Iowa Museum Association's "Teaching Iowa History" project. It may not be downloaded, reproduced or distributed in any format without written permission from the Rights Holder. For information on U.S. and International copyright laws, consult an attorney.