Floyd County Museum Looks Back Friday at Closing of Charles City Tractor Plant

The Floyd County Museum is looking back at one of the biggest moments in Charles City tractor history on Friday (08.04).

Museum Director Mckenna Lloyd says Dean Tjaden’s presentation at 2 pm Friday afternoon will honor the closing of the White Farm Equipment plant three decades ago this week.

A museum Facebook post says there is an admission charge to attend the program, but there will be a special surprise for attendees. The post also indicates the museum will have new tractor design t-shirts available in the gift shop starting Friday, with the design being revealed on the Facebook page Friday morning.

According to the City of Charles City website, what was at one time the Oliver Farm Equipment Company became the White Farm-New Idea Equipment Company. At its peak in the mid-1970s, the sprawling plant complex encompassed 23 acres and employed nearly 3,000 workers. The 1980s farm crisis and other economic pressures led to the closing of the plant in 1993.