I knew International Harvester was big in the Quad Cities. They made tractors in Rock Island and combines in East Moline. Now I have learned that JI Case had a big plant in Bettendorf, IA.
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| Quad Cities Buildings / Landmarks / History posted Aerial photograph of Bettendorf 1972. Quad-City Times. (Aerial Photo by Harry Boll) |
In 1947, Case bought three more factories. These were in Stockton, California; Bettendorf, Iowa and Annis-ton, Alabama. The one in Bettendorf is used to manufacture large combines, corn harvesting equipment and hay balers. [FarmCollector]
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| Fans of Rock Island Lines posted The former Bettendorf steel car works a train car manufacturer. A IH/ case plant doubled in size for war production under the war department. |
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| Quad City Images commented on the above post I'm pretty sure the building at the far east of the property is what's still there now, most recently operated by Alter as essentially an indoor scrapyard, but currently vacant and crumbling. I always thought that the sheds on the west side of the Isle property were the big shops in the foreground of the historic photo, but now I see that they have an entirely different roofline, so I'm not sure where the images line up. |
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| Fans of Rock Island Lines posted Linda Weatherly: At one time [the implication is during WWII], the largest factory in the world. Fans of Rock Island Lines: Linda Weatherly yes the building on left was doubled. Ive got a bunch of Sherman's rolling out during WW2? |
So both IH and Case had plants in Bettendorf?
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| Fans of Rock Island Lines commented in Linda's comment |
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| One of nine photos posted by Mark Nyenhuis In 1952 the JI Case plant in Bettendorf had a major fire. My father who always seemed to have a camera with him took these pictures on that May morning on the way to the plant |
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| One of several photos in CQtimes, Roy Booker |
It is obvious from the interior shots in the above referenced collection that the plant made at least dozers and engines. I've seen a headline ("From Combines to Casinos") that implies the plant made combines. Of course, the plant may have made different things at different times. Or, since it is a big plant, it may have made multiple products for different divisions.
If I put together enough articles, I better understand the history. In 1985, when Tenneco bought the IH agriculture assets, it already owned the JI Case assets. Tenenco added the IH assets to its JI Case subsidiary. Tenneco effectively closed the IH Farmall Plant in 1985 because it refused to buy that asset. It did buy the Combine Plant in East Moline, IL. The purchase of the IH's factories in 1985 made the Bettendorf factory surplus and thus its closure in 1986. [upi, timeline, QConline] I still need to find where JI Case had a plant in Rock Island. ("Rock Island plant became part of Case in 1937, Bettendorf in 1947 and Terre Haute in 1966." [ChicagoTribune])
In 1970, The Case crawlers were moved from Burlington, Iowa to Bettendorf, Iowa. Bettendorf will build rubber-tired tractors. They also build harvesting machinery. Also, products from Rockford will be transferred. Four-wheel-drive loaders will be made at Terre Haute, Indiana. The 1470 will be made in Racine. The Uni-loader and 480ck will go to Burlington. Farm implements will go from Rockford to Bettendorf. [FarmCollector]
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| 1927 Aerial Photo from ILHAP, the case plant is on the left |
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| 1937 Aerial Photo from ILHAP |
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| 1975 Davenport East and Silvis Quadrangles @ 1:24,000 |
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