In the Mississippi River city of Moline, served by US Route 6, blacksmith John Deere transformed American agriculture with his self-scouring steel plow in 1837. Before Deere’s design, wooden and cast-iron plows clogged with heavy Midwest prairie soil. His polished steel blade cut cleanly through the earth, changing farming forever.
Today’s advanced tractors still use the same essential concept—durable steel, curved for efficiency, built to last.

US Route 6 Connection: Moline remains a hub for John Deere’s global operations, where travelers can tour the John Deere Pavilion just minutes from the Route 6 corridor.

From Moline’s fields to America’s farms, the John Deere steel plow reshaped how the nation works, eats, and lives—an enduring symbol of innovation born from necessity. Travelers crossing Route 6 still encounter these legacies every day, often without realizing they’re holding a piece of history.

NOTE: John Deere moved his plow factory to Moline, Illinois in 1848 to take advantage of the Mississippi River’s water power and transportation capabilities. This move from his original location in Grand Detour, Illinois, was a strategic decision that allowed the company to grow from a local blacksmith business into a nationally recognized company.  Grand Detour is 60 plus miles away from Moline.