Life Retold

We are so used to seeing tractors with four tires, or six/8 if the duals are on.  Every now and then, you see a brand new tractor with “crawlers” or ”traks”.

But crawlers are not new to the farming industry.  One such brand was the “Cletrac” brand, which features crawlers.  The Cletrac HG was in production from 1939 – 1951, with 29,930 built.  The brand started in 1916 as the Cleveland Motor Plow Company organized by Rollin H. White.  The brand was sold to Oliver in 1944.

The Cletrac is popular enough with collectors that they have a website – cletrac.org.   In looking at their photo album, The Cletrac HG is pictured in red, or green, or orange, or yellow, or gray!  We may assume that different years or different models were different colors.  Or that they were restored in a different color, research never found the answer.  Thanks also to that website, we found the Oliver green stared in 1946, and in 1950 the Cletrac name was dropped.  This website is a must for any enthusiast, as manuals and serial numbers are available, along with photo’s, etc.

In addition to farmers, the Cletrac brand produced military equipment, especially during World War II.  Information above was also found in the Farm Collector, November 2016 and May 2010 issues.  This Cletrac is one of several unique restored tractors at Heartland Museum.

Back in the Day

From Liberty to Goldfield

In 1854 Major Minter Brassfield became the first settler in Liberty township, and the second settler in Wright County.  Reportedly he was from Tennessee (some accounts say he was the first settler and from Kentucky!). The little town of Liberty was founded in 1855. Liberty was honored with a post office in May of 1856, with Goldfield being platted in 1858. Goldfield was almost Brassfield, in honor of Major Minter.  However, some people thought “GOLD” sounded better than brass, and so Goldfield was named.  Eventually, the name Liberty was dropped.

In 1857 Judge David Dean and his sons moved a sawmill from Eagle Grove to Liberty.  It was soon joined by other stores, such as a general store, a hotel, physician, steam mill and blacksmith shop.  The hotel, named the Elk Horn Hotel, was owned by Jeptha Doty, and known for the large elk horns which hung outside.  A log schoolhouse soon followed, and at the close to the civil war, 63 students were enrolled, making it the largest schoolhouse in Wright County.  A two-story building was used as the county courthouse from 1858 – 1866, when the decision was made to move the county offices to Clarion.  Goldfield also was home to Conger & Whyte brick and tile factor, established in 1891; and Fountain Creamery, which in 1890 could produce 2,000 lbs. of butter per day, and a flour mill.  The creamery was run by water from flowing wells in and around Goldfield.

Early writings of Liberty/Goldfield indicated the area had excellent land, an abundance of timber, and a beautiful stream called Otter Creek.  Needless to say, farms soon dotted the land.  Liberty/Goldfield boasted the first marriage in Wright County, when Alexander Usher married Lucy Ann Brassfield.  The first settler child to be born in Wright County was Amanda Montgomery, whose father farmed about 4 miles from Goldfield.

Goldfield tidbits:  A claim to fame for Goldfield is that in 1955 the high school girls’ basketball team won the state basketball trophy.  There is a recording of that game, and if you ever get to watch it, you will find yourself rooting for Goldfield (even though you know they will win!) Goldfield also boasts “Flowing Wells” – water runs freely up thru the ground to thirsty travelers; one such well can be found at a small park along highway 3.  From 1904 thru World War II, Goldfield hosted the Old Settler’s Picnic.  Old settlers and their families gathered to retell the stories of settling Wright County. Goldfield was also the scene of a bank robbery in December, 1912, when the safe was cracked and thieves got away with about $4,000.

EVENTS AT HEARTLAND!

MAY 1 - Craft/Vendor Show, 9 am - 3 pm

My 29 - open for the season, 10 am - 4pm

June -Kids Coloring Contest

July 17 - Orphan Train Presentation, 1-3pm

Watch for upcoming open house and

free events for the kids!

NEW!!!  If you missed an article from the past three years, we have started a blog of the information.  You can find the articles on our website, www.heartlandmuseum.org.

Open by appointment

Call (515) 602-6000

Open Monday-Saturday, May 29 - September 6, 10 am-4 pm

Last admission 2:00 pm

Time travel is possible - go back with us!

"We don't want to live in the past, we want the past to live in us."-unknown