Project Editor: Jody Imus, UCARE, 2006

Nebraska Tractor Test Lab

In 1919 the Nebraska State Legislature passed a law requiring that all tractors sold in Nebraska were to be tested at the Nebraska Test Laboratory to ensure that they were able to live up to all of their advertising claims.

The Agricultural Communication Photograph Collection includes many pictures of tractors and events from the Tractor Test Lab throughout the years. These are usually of interesting tractor models or educational events run by the Tractor Test Museum, such as the annual "Tractor Day."

You can view more photographs held in the Larsen Tractor Test Museum by clicking the following link: Larsen Tractor Test and Power Museum, Photograph Series

A picture of tractor test number 432 taken in 1949. The model being tested is a Jeep made by Willys Overland Motors. What makes this this photograph interesting is that very few machines have been tested by the Nebraska Tractor Test Lab that are not tractors.

A picture of a safety demonstration as part of the Test Lab's "Tractor Day" celebration. The demonstration included what could happen to the farmer, in this case a dummy named "Jughead," when an improper drawbar load was applied.

A picture of another interesting tractor model tested. The Porsche L108 Junior was tested in 1959 - tractor test number 699.

A picture of Lester Larsen showing the Tractor Test Lab's dynamometer to Joochin Pohl and August Hassler from Germany.

A test technition inside the test car.

Picture of an earlier test car and dynamometer. In the background is the original Tractor Test Lab building, now home of the Lester F. Larsen Tractor Test and Power museum.