A Day in the Life of John Deere’s Archivist
Take a Behind-the-Scenes Trip with Neil Dahlstrom
Tucked away in East Moline, Illinois, lies a large warehouse that serves as the home to the John Deere archives. The building stores a diverse collection of more than 500 vintage pieces of equipment and thousands of records and artifacts. And, at the core of its operation is Neil Dahlstrom, Manager, Branded Properties, Heritage & Library at John Deere.
Neil’s responsibilities extend beyond overseeing the archives building. He also fields daily requests like “Do you have a photo of the first John Deere tractor?” and determines placement of artifacts at key locations like John Deere Worldwide Headquarters. Additionally, Neil and his team support attraction sites like the John Deere Pavilion in Moline and the John Deere Tractor & Engine Museum in Waterloo.
Neil emphasizes the importance of history. “Examining past efforts, even those that did not succeed, is extremely valuable,” Neil explains. “It connects us to our shared foundation and provides inspiration and insights for the future we want to create.”