The Road to Silver
50 Years of Innovation & Change 1978-2028
The Road to Silver:
Oliver Production History,
1901–1987
87 Years of Production, History, and Change
What can 87 years of production figures tell us about the history of Oliver?
A historical production chart originally created by John Culbertson documents annual production figures from 1901 through 1987. The chart was preserved and shared by Wayne Wiltse, who has spent many years collecting and safeguarding Oliver's history.
As part of the Oliver Company Historical Archives project through Collecting Stories, the chart has been digitally recreated, combining annual production figures with important events in the company's history.
A Changing Industry
The chart covers a period of significant change in American agriculture and farm equipment manufacturing.
In 1929, Oliver Farm Equipment Company was formed through the consolidation of Hart-Parr, Oliver Chilled Plow Works, Nichols & Shepard, and American Seeding Machine.
Over the following decades, the company experienced the Great Depression, World War II, corporate acquisitions, and merger discussions involving other agricultural manufacturers.
Oliver acquired Cletrac in 1944. During the 1950s, the company explored potential mergers with other manufacturers, including Minneapolis-Moline, J. I. Case, and Studebaker-Packard.
White Motor Corporation acquired Oliver in 1960. The following years brought additional changes in ownership, manufacturing, and brand identity, eventually leading to the silver-colored White tractors.
In 1985, Allied Products acquired White Farm Equipment.
What Do the Numbers Tell Us?
The production chart documents increases and decreases throughout the years. When viewed alongside historical events, these figures raise questions about economic conditions, manufacturing decisions, agricultural demand, and changes within the company.
Did major corporate events influence production? What factors contributed to changes from one year to the next? What additional information might factory records and historical documents reveal?
Production numbers alone cannot answer every question.
The purpose of this project is not to interpret the figures or draw conclusions, but to preserve the information and make it available for others to study.
Every reader may notice something different, ask a different question, or discover another piece of Oliver's history worth investigating.
Preserving History for Future Generations
John Culbertson's original research and Wayne Wiltse's efforts to preserve historical materials have helped make this information available today.
Through Collecting Stories, the goal is to continue preserving these records and encouraging others to explore the history behind them.
Study the chart. Explore the history. Ask your own questions.
Historical Credits
Original production chart: John Culbertson
Chart preserved and shared by: Wayne Wiltse
Digital chart recreation and historical presentation: Collecting Stories
Oliver Company Historical Archives
collectingstories.org
