Highlights Archives
Harvester World Images Reveal Celebrity Faces
What do John Wayne, Nikita Khrushchev and International Harvester trucks and tractors have in common? They were all featured in Harvester World magazine in the 1950s. Harvester World was an International Harvester Company magazine published from 1909 to 1970. At first the magazine was intended mostly for company employees and dealers, carrying stories about factory picnics, retirements and corporate milestones. By the 1940s, however, it had become a "human interest" magazine featuring stories about the people who came in contact with International Harvester machines.
Some of those people were celebrities like John Wayne, Nikita Khrushchev, Bing Crosby, Buster Keaton, Ansel Adams, and Miss America (1938). Others were just ordinary people from all walks of life, including truck drivers, factory workers, farmers, school children, professionals and artists. There are even a few articles on Wisconsin topics, such as Lambeau Field or a Sauk Prairie radio station that hosted a program by writer August Derleth.
The Society's McCormick-International Harvester Collection includes thousands of negatives and photographic prints that were created for Harvester World, International Trail, and other company magazines. You can view a sample of these images at Wisconsin Historical Images on our Web site.
:: Posted April 10, 2006
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