THE DAY INTERNATIONAL HARVESTER DIED IN MEMPHIS

[Tigersfan829]

Back when auto workers could make a great living. Those were the days

[TheLawilliams78]

Cool video, my dad, uncle, and grandfather worked here. I remember riding in my grandpa's scout and I still have a couple of ih toy tractors he used to give me.

[cbalducc]

I think International Harvester failed because they had too many irons in the fire - building agricultural equipment and trucks at the same time. Plus, most of the ag manufacturers basically put themselves out of business by building bigger equipment for a shrinking number of farms - bigger equipment meant fewer needed and farms were getting bigger while farmers were decreasing in number. God bless.

[bduff007]

Why is it always the employees fault when a company goes under. What about corporate greed and NAFTA! funny how nobody remembers all the good unions did for workers.

[MrAndrew43]

@bduff007 Amen I couldnt agree more, my Father retired from IH just bately in time to get a patial pention.

[thecvxman]

the answers were all in this video, first it says the guy made enough money to buy a new house, wife stopped working etc then the company went bust, ever wonder why, unions, not that clever after all eh.

[Seattlecarnut]

How long ago did this take place?

[railbum]

the UAW killed the only two plants we had here in Delaware. Now all of the unemployed are wondering what happened. YOU DID IT TO YOURSELVES! F*** UNIONS!

[geodeuce]

The Union killed IH in Louisville.

[aaronready1]

Great terra at 1:33. God save america....more history here of the destruction of america by the powers at be.

[sidekick9409]

Yes, I knew some of the service reps.

[TheBjack1]

Cotton Pickers and Strippers are the only thing they built in Memphis? right?

[sidekick9409]

I think so

[georgeky1]

JI Case never bought out IH. Tenneco bought JI Case and then bought IH for the Axial Flow combine and implement line since Case made neither at that time and was in finacial ruin itself. Then the two companies were merged making CaseIH. Is all a moot point now since CaseIH/CNH Global is foriegn owned at this time. I still farm with old American made FARMALLS. I bleed red. None of the junk made today will last like the old stuff has. I have several from the 1950's and still work them every day.

[Hiei2k7]

@georgeky1

Several of my relatives and neighbors in Northwestern Illinois sold their blood, sweat, and tears building not only IH/Case, but Deere and Caterpillar.

Caterpillar used to have 2 Engine and Parts plants in Bettendorf and Davenport. Last one closed in 1992.

CaseIH included the Axial-Flow Combine plant in East Moline, and the ever infamous HOUSE OF FARMALL in Rock Island. Both are gone, and the last standing vestage of it was finished off in 07 wrecking ball.

[frankd1965]

@Hiei2k7 Caterpillar had a plant in San Leandro, California. closed in 1980.

[62636263c]

I remember when the plant in Louisville KY closed back in the 80s. My father, grandfather, and two uncles had worked there. My grandfather retired from Harvester before the plant closed down. Lots of memories of going there to pick up my dad from work.

[skiatl]

I remember this very well. I lived on the street next to Harvester from 1972 - 1986. The area was not the greatest then...sometimes known as the "armpit" of Memphis....but now...I can not even go into that neighborhood because of the low life that now inhabits it and has brought it even lower than it was as good blue collar community...so sad that so many communties continue to go to slums.

[imtorched]

We can look towards the UAW for alot of the blame for IH's down fall!!! In the late 70's they had a strike against IH during a time when all companys were selling massive amounts of equipment, the strike wore on and IH dealers were running out of equipment to sell. When the strike was settled the early 80's hit and the farm economy went south and IH could never make up for all they had lost!

[Hiei2k7]

@imtorched It was as much the UAW as it was Archie McCardell seeking concessions from them while IH was profitable.

Don't forget the start of the "Big Power Era" when IH rolled out big 6 cylinder engines mated to what was essentially the same rear gear they'd had since before WWII.

[martinsuper73]

@Hiei2k7

That and making a tractor called a 666, even though everyone told IH Jesus loving farmers would stop buying. But they did it anyways. Doesn't mean I don't love IH. It just means I am sad at stupid decisions wrecking a fantastic company.

[montecarloss85HO]

THAT SUCKS. i loved their machinery. the cub cadets and everything else they made were always considered over built.

[jet62095]

It kinda sucks that they don't show any of the tractors or combines, etc. I love old IH's, even in the 80s.

[chukhava]

70s,80s,90s,first part of 00s I loved going to Memphis living only 60 miles away.Now if I have to go I try to get in and outta there as quickly as possible.LAWLER 4 MAYOR.

[B422TMack]

I Grew up 25 miles north of Memphis my family farmed (66 ,86 &88 series I.H. ) & also done Construction work

1 of local rock pits is behind Harvester & we hauled crushed limestone out this rock pit even to this day i remember as a kid passing by there Harvester was a city of it's on .

Now it's basically dead w/ the exception of the container facility there & also the Memphis police impound

it's ashame The closing of the harvester plant killed The Frayser comminty

[HemiHotRod]

Very sad day in history. I have worked with IH equipment all my life, hard to believe a great company, that made such great equipment, could be gone, so sad.

[windsors03cobra]

Yea this is a good post. UAW is still killing companies to this day, GM and Ford on their deathbeds.

What did IH build in Memphis, I saw a bine in one of the scenes ?

[ILReaganFan]

IH closed their Canton Illinois P&O Plow Works factory the same year, it was the same story here too.

[38106chick]

Thank you so much for putting this up. It brings back so many memories; I know a LOT of people who were affected by IH's closure.