Object Record
Images
Metadata
Object Name |
Cultivator, Field |
Catalog Number |
2019.022.01 |
Description |
A La Crosse Plow Company cultivator with a wooden frame and iron blade. Originally painted red, this plow has seen lots of work and the only paint that is still visible can be seen under the handles. On the right side of the plow, in black painted lettering it says "La Crosse Plow Co. / La Crosse, Wis." and on the left side it says "La Crosse." The wrench on the tip of the neck of the cultivator was detachable, and could be used to attach different types of blades in place of the blade shown in the picture. |
Year Range from |
1893 |
Year Range to |
1980 |
Provenance |
Donor, Louise Leibl stated that this cultivator was used by at least three generations on her family's farm. Leibl used this horse-drawn cultivator to plant potatoes. |
Made By |
La Crosse Plow Company |
Material |
Wood, Iron |
Dimension Details |
the cultivator is approx. 82" long the handle width is 23" wide the blade width is 26" |
Place of Origin |
La Crosse, Wisconsin |
Inscription Type |
Manufacturer's Mark |
Inscription Text |
Right side: "La Crosse Plow Co. / La Crosse Wis" Left side: La Crosse |
People |
Leibl, Louise |
Subjects |
Agriculture "Things that Matter" |
Search Terms |
La Crosse Plow Company "Things that Matter" |
Notes |
Featured in Things that Matter: This La Crosse Plow Co. field cultivator was used on a farm in La Crosse County. Last winter, Louise Leibl called the La Crosse County Historical Society. She said that she had a wonderful piece of La Crosse history that needed a good home, and she was 100% correct. Leibl donated this cultivator to the La Crosse County Historical Society along with other items used on her family’s farm. Her family once owned and operated a farm in Smith Valley, La Crosse County. In 1863, Louise Leibl’s great-grandfather Jacob Weimar, along with his two brothers, purchased 160 acres of what later became a 240-acre farm. Over the years, the family grew and added 16 buildings to their property, including an icehouse, machine shed and horse barn. Louise’s ancestors continued farming on the property. Louise grew up on the farm and spent her adult years working and caring for it. The field cultivator has a wooden frame with residual red paint that would have once covered the wooden surfaces. The black stenciled lettering on the sides is still clearly visible. It reads "La Crosse Plow Co./La Crosse, Wis.," and on the other side, "LA CROSSE." The small metal piece protruding from the end of the plow next to the hitch is a wrench to loosen the square bolts on the blade to change it. Leibl had fond memories of using this cultivator to plant potatoes. She said that her family used this plow for decades before she was born in 1930 and she continued to use it throughout her life on her farm. Unfortunately, Louise Leibl passed away in June 2019. I am glad that I had the opportunity to visit with her and hear stories of her family’s life on the farm. La Crosse County Historical Society is happy to preserve and share her stories of farming in La Crosse. This article was originally published in the La Crosse Tribune. Title: Leibl's La Crosse Plow Co. Cultivator Author: Amy Vach Publish Date: September 14, 2019 |