Visalia in Tulare County, California — The American West (Pacific Coastal)
World’s First Self-Propelled Combine
A Historic Landmark of Agricultural Engineering
The Berry design embodied the following “firsts”:
1. Self-propelled combine. 2. Combine powered by a straw-burning steam boiler - it was ‘fueled from the land’. 3. Tractor that traveled forward for plowing and in the reverse direction for harvesting. 4. Traction engine with power turning, using differential gears instead of conventional wheel clutches. 5. ‘Power Take-Off’, using steam from the traction engine boiler to power an independent engine that drove the harvesting mechanism.
In 1888, equipped with a 40 feet header, and using nighttime lighting, one of Berry's combines harvested more than 100 acres per day. Berry built six such machines, establishing the advantages of enhanced performance, reduced costs and good maneuverability for large, self-propelled combines. Many features of these machines were adopted by West Coast manufacturers after Berry went into politics, and have influenced design of later combines, both self‑propelled and towed.
Erected 2007 by American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Agriculture. A significant historical year for this entry is 1886.
Location. 36° 16.71′ N, 119° 18.586′ W. Marker is in Visalia, California, in Tulare County. Marker can be reached from South Mooney Boulevard. Tulare County Museum at Mooney Grove Park. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 27000 South Mooney Boulevard, Visalia CA 93277, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 4 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies. Hugh Michael Mooney (1864-1934) (about 300 feet away, measured in a direct line); End of the Trail (approx. 0.2 miles away); Mooney Grove Park Boy Scout Cabin (approx. 0.2 miles away); S. Sweet & Company (approx. 3.7 miles away); Butterfield Overland Mail (approx. 3.7 miles away); Cross Building (approx. 3.7 miles away); Palace Hotel Building (approx. 3.7 miles away); Bank of Italy (approx. 3.7 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Visalia.
Credits. This page was last revised on March 22, 2024. It was originally submitted on March 17, 2024, by Patrick Duggan of Los Angeles, California. This page has been viewed 54 times since then. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on March 17, 2024, by Patrick Duggan of Los Angeles, California. • Andrew Ruppenstein was the editor who published this page.