The Heartland Acres Agribition Center of Independence, Iowa, is working to educate visitors about agriculture, and as part of its “Increase Your Ag IQ” series, staff have tackled the topic of one of the most popular brand of tractors ever made – the Prairie Gold-colored Minneapolis-Moline.

Executive Director Craig Johnson shared information about this new project, spearheaded by intern Jason Butz, a student at the University of Northern Iowa. Butz submitted an article for the “Increase Your AG IQ” series with information on the Minneapolis-Moline Tractor Co., which started in 1929.

It was the product of a merger between Minneapolis Steel & Machinery, Minneapolis Threshing Co. and Moline Plow. Headquartered in Hopkins, Minn., it had plants in Minneapolis, Hopkins and Moline, Ill.

“Minneapolis-Moline was a pioneer in developing the closed cab concept for farm tractors,” Butz stated.

He also included information about one of the most famous tractors ever built, the 1938 model UDLX Comfort tractor. “The UDLX design combined the best of both worlds for farmers,” Butz wrote. “The UDLX was a working tractor for field during the week. When Friday night came, just clean it up and take your best girl to the dance.”

The deluxe model was the Cadillac of the time period, and the price was out of reach for most farmers. “The UDLX had more amenities than most vehicles of the time,” Butz shared, “features like a fully enclosed cab with passenger seat, electric start, full dashboard and gauge cluster, heater, cigarette lighter, windshield wipers; even a radio made it popular for use on the weekends as a means of comfortable transportation.”

Minneapolis-Moline advertised the farmer could plow the field during the day and drive to town at night. As mentioned earlier, the cost of the UDLX was prohibitive and thus sales were poor. Butz said, “A UDLX was double the price of an Oliver or Farmall. Add in the Great Depression, and it spelled the end of the UDLX.

“Only 150 units were built. Minneapolis-Moline continued producing a full line of other models for many years.”

Out of the 150 built, most were with cabs; there were only a few models called the UOPN, which is a UDLX  without a cab. Kent and Jane Elliott of Godfrey, Ill., own one of the last existing models of this type. Those lucky enough to see it at tractor shows will remember that looks like a speedy roadster.

As many in agriculture know, MM was bought out by the White Motor Co. of Charles City, Iowa, in 1963. Butz said White produced its last MM tractor, model G-955, in 1974. For those wanting to learn more about the Oliver history, there is a wonderful museum, the Floyd County Museum, in Charles City with many Oliver tractors and a great history of the company over the years.

To see the beautiful UDLX in person and learn more about this tractor and many other wonderful agricultural developments, visit Heartland Acres. At the museum, Paul and Kay Weiss’ lovely 1938 UDLX from Reinbeck, Iowa, is on display. This rare tractor is one of approximately 40 known survivors and, along with many other historic tractors, is part of the antiques display at Heartland Acres.

Antique tractor collectors will be glad they made the stop, and this is also quite a kid-friendly museum with a lot of interactive things to see and do. For more information about Heartland Acres, log onto www.heartlandacres usa.com  or call 319-332-0123.

Readers with questions or comments for Cindy Ladage may write to her in care of this publication.