Best Manufacturing Company facts for kids
The Best Manufacturing Company was a famous company from San Leandro, California. It was also called the Daniel Best Company. This company made big machines for farms. They were especially known for their powerful steam tractors.
History of Best Manufacturing
Starting Up and Making New Machines
The Best Manufacturing Company started in 1871. It was founded by a man named Daniel Best. Their first product was a machine that cleaned grain. Soon after, they made a combine harvester. This machine helps farmers harvest crops faster.
In 1890, the company bought the rights to make the Remington steam engine. This allowed them to build many steam-powered farm machines. They made steam tractors and combine harvesters that ran on steam.
A New Company and a Big Merger
In 1908, another company called the Holt Manufacturing Company bought Best Manufacturing. This happened after a legal disagreement. However, C. L. Best, Daniel Best's son, started his own company. It was called the C. L. Best Gas Traction Company. This new company built tractors that used gasoline instead of steam.
C.L. Best's company also got the rights to make the Lombard Steam Log Hauler. This was an early machine that moved on tracks, like a tank. C.L. Best's company then started making "tracklayer" tractors. These tractors had tracks instead of wheels.
Later, there was strong competition from the Fordson company. So, in 1925, C.L. Best's company joined with the Holt Manufacturing Company. Together, they formed a new, very big company. This new company is known today as the Caterpillar Tractor Company.
