Lester F. Larsen Tractor Museum facts for kids
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| Established | 1980 |
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| Location | 3310 Holdrege Street Lincoln, Nebraska |
| Type | Agriculture museum |
The Lester F. Larsen Tractor Test and Power Museum is a museum in Lincoln, Nebraska. It helps us remember and learn about the history of Nebraska's tractor test law. The University of Nebraska–Lincoln (NU) runs the museum.
In 1919, Nebraska passed a special law. This law says that every tractor sold in the state with 40 horsepower or more must be tested. This makes sure the tractors work as they should. The place where they tested tractors was first called the Nebraska Tractor Test Laboratory. In 1998, it became a museum and was named after Lester F. Larsen, a chief engineer there for many years. This museum is the only one of its kind in the world. It is also the only complete tractor test lab still around.
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Why Tractors Get Tested: A Story from Nebraska
The idea for Nebraska's tractor testing law started in 1919. A farmer and state representative named Wilmot Crozier bought a tractor. It was a Ford 8-16. Crozier quickly found out the tractor did not work as advertised. It was supposed to pull three plows, but it could only pull one.
Crozier learned that his tractor was not made by the famous Ford Motor Company. Instead, it was made by a different company called the Ford Tractor Company. This company used an employee with the last name Ford to make people think it was the real Ford company. Crozier then decided to create a law. He wanted to make sure tractor makers told the truth about their machines. He said he wanted to "induce all tractor companies to tell the truth."
The First Tractor Testing Lab
With help from Crozier and state senator Charles Warner, the Nebraska Tractor Test Law passed in 1919. This law created the Nebraska Tractor Test Laboratory. It was built at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln. This was the first tractor testing place in the world.
Construction finished in 1920. The Waterloo Boy Model N was the first tractor to pass the tests. The testing building was made bigger in 1948.
From Lab to Museum
In 1980, tractor testing moved to a new building nearby. The original building was then named a historical landmark. This was done by the American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers. In 1998, the old building became a museum. It was named the Lester F. Larsen Tractor Test and Power Museum. This honored Lester Larsen, who was the lab's chief engineer from 1946 to 1975.
Money for the museum mostly comes from private donations. The museum is part of the University of Nebraska State Museum system.
How Tractors Are Still Tested Today
The University of Nebraska–Lincoln still tests tractors today. This makes sure they meet important standards. The test track is right next to the museum. It has two long, straight paths, each 800 feet long. During testing, 500 feet are used to check how strong the tractor pulls. This is called "drawbar horsepower."
Inside the test lab, a special machine called a dynamometer is used. This machine measures the "belt horsepower" of the tractor. This shows how much power the engine makes. The museum even has the lab's first dynamometer.
Cool Tractors You Can See!
The museum has about 40 old and special tractors. Some of these include:
- the Heider Model C
- the Moline Universal Model D
- the Fordson 1920
- the Allis-Chalmers Model G
- the Ford 8N
- the John Deere 820
The museum also has two very important tractors. One is the Waterloo Model N, which was the first tractor to pass the test. The other is the Ford 8-16. This was the unreliable tractor that led to the creation of Nebraska's tractor testing law.
