Avery Tractor
An Avery tractor, the first internal combustion tractor used on Guilford Township roads. Photo was taken on Guilford Road east of Mulford Road. The tractor is pulling a road grader.
circa 1915
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Barn and Silo
A barn and silo with crop fields in the foreground. Possibly the Lake family farm in the Bell School Road area.
circa 1890
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Bengt Nelson Farm
Bengt Nelson Farm possibly located at 2107 East State Street. Myrtle (born in 1899) is at the left with five children standing at right.
circa 1917
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Big Four Tractor
A Big Four prairie tractor pulling equipment in a field. The Gas Traction Company, headquartered in Minneapolis, launched the Big Four tractor in 1910 and it became one of the earliest successful tractor brands. The Big Four, named for its 4-cylinder engine which was unusual in 1910, was a huge tractor designed to break the Midwestern prairie soil. The tractor had eight foot high steel wheels and ran on gasoline or kerosene. Emerson-Brantingham acquired the Gas Traction Company in 1912 and produced the Big Four tractor until 1920 when farmers moved away from these huge prairie tractors to smaller machines.
1910-1920
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Breckenridge Farm
Breckenridge family farm. North view at Spring Brook Road showing part of the garage between the house and the horse barn. The garage was built in 1924.
circa 1924
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Breckenridge Farm
Breckenridge family farm. South east view from Mulford Road showing the new garage that was built in 1924.
circa 1924
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Cattle
Unidentified man standing with a herd of cattle. Possibly Lake family farm in the Bell School Road area.
circa 1890
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Central Park Addition
An unidentified man is at a water hand pump at the Central Park Addition garden, Rockford, Illinois.
July 15, 1926
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Cows at the Charles Larson Farm
Cows in pasture at the Charles Larson farm, Roscoe, Illinois.
circa early 1900s
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Cows Grazing
Cows grazing near a river.
early 20th century
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Delivery to the Creamery
A horse-drawn milk cart and four individuals covered with an umbrella advertising Tower Surface Cultivators. The wagon is filled with cream cans used to haul milk or cream from the farm to a local creamery to be made into various dairy products. The wagon is possibly going to the Union Dairy Company located at 216-218 South Church Street, Rockford, Illinois.
1916
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Drilling a Well
Invoice to C.I. Horsman from G.V. Orton for drilling a well at the farm.
Charles I. Horsman
circa 1856
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Edward Easton Farm House
Edward Easton farm on the south side of Harlem Road. The house is plain with decorative elements focused on the porches.
circa 1890s
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Farm Buildings
A bridge in winter. Farm buildings are in the background. The barn has a hay hood at the right which is a peaked extension of the gable roof. The hay hood is a feature in prairie or Western barns built in the late 1800s and early 1900s. The hay hood provided support for a track to haul hay up and into the loft storage.
circa early 1900s
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Farm House
An unidentified farm house possibly in Harlem Township.
May 1967
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Farm in Winter
A farm in winter on Rural Route 3, which became Spring Creek Road circa 1923.
circa early 1900s
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Farm on Spring Brook Road
House and barns at the far end of Spring Brook Road on north side.
circa early 1900s
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Farm Scene
Farm scene with a corn crib at left, windmill in the center and a barn at right. A farm implement that is possibly a hay baler is near the barn.
5-Aug-30
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2000.33.1
Farm Scene with Horses
An unidentified man and woman pose in front of a barn. Possibly the Lake family in the Bell School Road area. The man is standing near a cow. The woman stands next to an unsaddled horse. A three-horse team hitched to a wagon is positioned between the man and woman.
circa 1890
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George S. Haskell, Dealer in Seeds
Bill of sale to C.I. Horsman from George S. Haskell and Company, Flower, Field and Garden Seeds, 112-114 North Main Street.
Charles I. Horsman
March 3, 1873
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George S. Haskell, Seed Farmer
Bill of sale to Mrs. C.I. Horsman from George S. Haskell and Company, Seed Farmers and Merchants, 112-116 Main Street.
Charles I. Horsman
June 1, 1877
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Grain Harvest
Two women on a wagon plow pulled by two teams of horses. An unidentified man is walking beside the farm implement. The horses have a white covering that drapes over their backs and has holes for their ears. This is likely protective covering during harvest.
circa 1928
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2000.33.2
Grain Harvest
Two teams of horses pulling farming equipment across field, possibly grain harvesters. Three men and one woman are standing near the horse teams. Handwritten on back: "Lloyd's team - Billy, Barney, Billy Sunday, Dick. Luthor team - Dewey, May, Bob, Mike. Bob died and tall Dick died."
August 25, 1928
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2000.33.4
Harlem Creamery
Two horse-drawn buggies sit in front of the creamery on Harlem Road in Harlem Township, Winnebago County, Illinois. One of the buggies is loaded with cream cans used to haul milk or cream from the farm to a local creamery to be made into various dairy products.
circa 1877
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Harlem Township Grain Elevator.
Grain elevator at Harlem Township, Winnebago County, Illinois
circa 1946
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Harvester Equipment
Men posing with teams of horses hitched to harvester reaper equipment.
circa 1860 - 1890
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Hay Field
A horse drawn carriage with two women is in a newly cut hay field with bundles of hay in rows.
circa 1880
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Horse and colt
A horse and colt.
circa 1910
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Horses Grazing
Horses grazing
Early 20th century
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Horses Grazing
Horses grazing.
early 20th century
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John P. Manny Mower Company
John P. Manny Mower Company located on Race Street in the Rockford Water Power District. In the 1850s the John P. Manny Company manufactured the knife sections for the reapers produced by John H. Manny and the Manny Reaper. In the 1860s John P. Manny introduced his own reaper-mower and assigned the manufacturing rights to the N.C. Thompson Company.
circa 1880s - 1890s
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John Thomas
John Thomas, center, with horses, barn and car built in the early 1900s. Another man is holding two horses and a boy is seated on the running board of the car.
circa early 1900s
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93.49.2
Kelly Farm
Kelly Farm on East State Street near the Perryville Road intersection. In 2007 this site was occupied by Lowe's Hardware.
circa 1950
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2007.1.38
Log Cabin along the Road
View of a road along the edge of a field with a log cabin in the background. Possibly Blackhawk Park.
circa 1920s-1930s
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94.2.11
Nineteenth Century Farm Horses
People, possibly the farm family, are posed in front of an unidentified barn. A man and woman are seated in a buggy while another buggy holds a girl seated and boy standing. A man and a woman stand with a horse and pony.
circa 1890
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Orville P. Thomas Family
Mr. & Mrs. Orville P. Thomas and their son John at their farmhouse in Owen Township, north of Rockford.
circa early 1900s
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93.49.1
River View Farm
D. W. Evan's River View Farm in the snow. Located at 7515-7519 North Second Street.
Mid 20th century
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Rural West State Street
Aerial view of Willwood Cemetery, established in 1921 and dedicated September 24, 1923 on West State Road, which later became 7000 West State Street. It is surrounded by farms and fields.
circa 1930
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2008.19.133b
Schifferer Farm
Entrance to Schifferer farm.
circa 1920s
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Seeds for Sale at George S. Haskell
Seed list grown and offered by George S. Haskell and Company, 112-114 Main Street.
Charles I. Horsman
circa 1873 - 1874
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Sheep in a Farm Yard
Sheep in a farm yard with farm buildings at the left and right
circa late 1800s
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Spring Creek Dairy Farm
Kuharske residence and Spring Creek Dairy Farm on Spring Creek Road. In 1915, the farm and home, owned by Edward and Edith Kuharske, is on Rural Route 3, which became Spring Creek Road circa 1922. Edith was the niece of Grover Cleveland (his brother's daughter).
circa 1915
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2007.67.1
Stalker Farm
Stalker farm. A man and woman are in front of the house. The house is located west of Stillman Valley, Illinois. The man and woman are probably Walter L. and Charlotte Cardine Gates Stalker.
circa early 1900s
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Steam Engine Powering a Thresher
Steam engine used to power a threshing machine in the field. Note the large belt at the right. This belt was attached to the thresher machine.
circa 1890 - 1915
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Steam Tractor
Steam tractor in a ditch. The large drive wheel on the side was used with a belt to power the thresher machine that is behind the tractor. Possibly an early Rumely tractor.
circa 1915
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Stock Yard
Harlem, Illinois stock yards.
April 27, 1936
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79.148.7
Sugar Farm
Aerial view of East State Street and the Spearing sugar farm, six miles north west of Belvidere. According to the donor, this was the only maple sugar producing farm in Winnebago County, and the Spearing family owned the farm from 1926-1950s.
circa 1945-1950
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Sugar Farm
Maple sugar farm sugar shack at the Spearing Farm where sap is boiled down. According to the donor, this was the only maple sugar producing farm in Winnebago County, and the Spearing family owned the farm from 1926-1950s. The grove contains over 200 trees.
March 1935
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Sugar Farm
Spearing Family Farm buildings. According to the donor, this was the only maple sugar producing farm in Winnebago County. The Spearing family owned the farm from 1926-1950s.
circa 1930-1940
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2000.18.5
The Evans' Farm
The farm of David W. and Emma Evans located at 7515-7519 North Second Street. The house is symmetrical with the size and position of windows mirrored on the opposite side. The back door of the house is covered by an extended roof and appears to be enclosed with screen.
circa early 1900s
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