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JOHN DEERE ATTRACTIONS, IL
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More than 150 years ago, Deere & Company found a home in Moline, Illinois, along the banks of the mighty Mississippi River, taking full advantage of the river’s waterpower and transportation offerings. Today, Moline, part of the Quad Cities, is brimming with John Deere heritage at the John Deere Pavilion and other Deere & Company attractions.
The John Deere Pavilion, a 14,000 square foot glass- and steel-enclosed structure, is the company’s official visitor center. The Pavilion showcases vintage John Deere equipment, modern-day machinery, interactive exhibits and feature films providing endless entertainment for all ages. One of the most comprehensive agricultural exhibits in the world, the Pavilion, has attracted more than two million guests from all corners of the globe. The John Deere Pavilion celebrates the legacy of John Deere and the heritage of the heartland year-round while offering free admission.
Adjacent to the Pavilion, the John Deere Store is a one-of-a-kind retail center that has something for everybody. The store stocks more officially licensed John Deere toys, clothes, collectibles, house wares, books, and videos than any other place in the world. It also houses the largest collection of the Ertl toy line.
Visitors to Moline can also tour the Deere-Wiman House and Butterworth Home, impressive 10-acre estates with extensive gardens typical of the Victorian era. In 1872, John Deere’s son, Charles Deere, built the Deere-Wiman House. Twenty years later as a wedding gift, he constructed the Butterworth Home for his daughter Katherine, and her husband William Butterworth. Guided tours of the estates are available by appointment year-round.
For visitors interested in learning about the world’s largest maker of agriculture equipment, a stop at the award-winning Deere & Company World Headquarters, overlooking the Rock River Valley, is a must. World-renowned architect Eero Saarinin designed the park-like, 1,400-acre corporate center and Deere & Company’s products are displayed on the ground floor of the building.
For golf enthusiasts, the Tournament Players Club at Deere Run is home of the annual PGA John Deere Classic. Designed by PGA tour member and three-time Classic Champion D.A. Weibring, together with PGA Tour Design Services, Inc., the course was built to comply with the stringent environmental requirements of Audubon International’s Cooperative Sanctuary Program.
Just 70 miles from Moline, you’ll find John Deere’s first Illinois homestead in Grand Detour. Designated as a Registered National Historic Landmark by the National Park Service, the John Deere Historic Site welcomes visitors to the place where he created his first self-scouring steel plow. The site features his original home, a replica of his blacksmith shop with a working blacksmith, findings from an archeological dig, and an extensive gift shop featuring products from the blacksmith shop, period favorites and other handmade gifts and collectibles. The site welcomes guests daily, May through October.
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