People – Programs – Preservation

With history as our inspiration and lifelong learning as our passion, we operate two historic houses—once home to four generations of the Deere family—where visitors step back more than a hundred years into local history. Whether climbing a grand staircase, admiring a century-old artifact, or hearing how John Deere and his descendants took root in Moline, guests from pre-school to senior adult leave with a message that history is woven into the fabric of every modern community.

And through the generosity and vision of donors like you, we want to encourage new generations to rally around community history while promoting cultural and educational growth. Here’s a sample of what your donations supported last year alone…

 People gathering spaces (valued at $372,00) provided at no charge for community use

• 16,200 visitors, representing 251 nonprofit groups in 1,200 meetings, gathered to serve the community with their charitable, educational, and cultural outreach

Programs designed to share history with children  and families

• 660 daycare students attended free summer day camps

• 1,263 school children learned about Deere family history through field trips, in-class programs, and curriculum developed by   our staff

• 1,400 guests toured historic Butterworth Center and Deere-Wiman House

Preservation projects to ensure the safety, comfort, and convenience of all guests

• Leaky historic German silver sink at Butterworth Center replaced with a reproduction to serve nonprofit groups

• Water feature in the Deere-Wiman House formal gardens replaced with a historically inspired flower bed