The Frontier of Tractors
A photo postcard titled “C. M. Larsen Plowing Outfit at Work Near Howard, SD.” The impressive tractor in the photograph is a Pioneer 30.
The Pioneer Tractor Company was first incorporated in 1909, Minneapolis. In 1910, it re-incorporated in Winona, Minnesota. By 1911, the Pioneer 15 and 30 models were on the market.
According to C. H. Wendel in "The Encyclopedia of American Farm Implements," the Pioneer 30:
"...featured a four-cylinder horizontal opposed engine with a 7-inch bore and 8-inch stroke.... With its 24 X 96-inch drivers, the Pioneer 30 was an impressive sight. The cab was enclosed with windows and a back curtain.... In 1911, the list price for this machine was $2,700. The 30 was listed in the company's literature in 1927.”
After 1927, the company is no longer found in directories. This image is from the H. H. Lubeck Photo Studio. Lubeck operated studios in Iroquois, Howard, Carthage, Canova and Artesian from 1896-1921.
