Beckman Archive

      The Eugene Beckman Archive is a collection of original sales brochures, operators
 manuals, parts lists and sales premiums. Items in the collection date from the 1880s through
 the early 1960s.  The late Eugene Beckman of Brookings, SD collected tractor and
 implement brochures and  manuals. Beckman's original store, Beckman Hardware, was
 located in Glenham, SD where he sold his first John Deere tractor in 1925. Later he moved
his business to Brookings, SD where he operated Eugene Beckman and Son John Deere until
his death in 1968.  In 1988 his son and grandson gave his extensive collection to the State
Agricultural Heritage  Museum. It is comprised of approximately 1,500 manuals and
brochures in addition to hundreds of agricultural books and catalogs.
       The Eugene Beckman Archive is a research collection and individuals who are
 researching or  restoring historic pieces of farm equipment should contact the museum with
 their research request. Photocopies of the original documents are available for a nominal fee. For detailed specific information about the availability of a certain piece of literature, write the museum.  Please indicate the brand, model, year, and note specific part numbers or serial numbers when writing.  Additions to the collection are welcomed. Please contact us for information on donating to this important   historical resource.
 

Comments or questions, please e-mail us at: sdsu.agmuseum@sdstate.edu