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All the ways 'The Dean of Earth Moving' left his mark on Caterpillar and Peoria

From the Wheels O' Time Museum in Dunlap: The LeTourneau steel house was a cooperative project involving the Central Illinois Landmarks Foundation, the Peoria Historical Society and Wheels O’ Time. It was moved across town from the factory site to the museum along with a statue of R.G. LeTourneau. The house was extensively refurbished and outfitted with authentic period decor. It is now open to visitors.
WheelsOTime.org
From the Wheels O' Time Museum in Dunlap: The LeTourneau steel house was a cooperative project involving the Central Illinois Landmarks Foundation, the Peoria Historical Society and Wheels O’ Time. It was moved across town from the factory site to the museum along with a statue of R.G. LeTourneau. The house was extensively refurbished and outfitted with authentic period decor. It is now open to visitors.

His name was Robert Gilmore LeTourneau, but most everybody called him “R.G.,” said Mark Johnson, former president of the Peoria Historical Society.

LeTourneau was persuaded to come to Peoria in 1935 by the Caterpillar Tractor Co. because he had developed an attachment that moved the blade on the Caterpillar bulldozer, said Johnson.

“At one time just about all the Caterpillar track-type tractors being built in the East Peoria plant were equipped with LeTourneau’s attachment,” he said.

“Caterpillar reached out to LeTourneau who was in California at the time and convinced him to move to Peoria and set up a factory here making it much easier to join the attachment — a cable control system — on the Caterpillar machine,” said Johnson, who worked for Caterpillar for 37 years before retiring in 2008.

LeTourneau set up his factory in Peoria where the Komatsu plant is located today along the Illinois River.

The attachment that moved a bulldozer blade was just one of the many ideas that LeTourneau came up with. More than 300 patents bore his name, said Johnson.

“Known as R.G., he was a very hands-on, friendly type of guy. He was a very interesting fellow who always carried an envelope in his suit pocket. If he came across something that he thought he could improve, he’d pull out the paper and start sketching away,” he said.

“He was also a very devout and committed Christian who offered worship services in the factory. When it came to tithing, LeTourneau flipped the script. Instead of donating the customary10 percent of his earnings, he donated 90 percent of his salary and profits to the church,” said Johnson.

In 1953, LeTourneau sold his Peoria factory to the Westinghouse Air Brake Co. (WABCO) and moved to Texas where he set up another factory and a university that bears his name.

But LeTourneau left his mark in Peoria in another way, Johnson said.

One of the problems LeTourneau’s employees faced in Peoria was a lack of affordable housing. In response, LeTourneau set about developing a series of steel homes.

“Today, they would be considered similar to modular homes,” said Johnson.

LeTourneau produced 160 of the metal buildings, offered for sale first to employees and then to the general public. Some 20 homes still remain in the area, Johnson said.

One of LeTourneau’s steel homes is on display at the Wheels O’ Time Museum in Peoria along with a statue of LeTourneau that was relocated from Glen Oak Park.

Steve Tarter retired from the Peoria Journal Star in 2019 after spending 20 years at the paper as both reporter and business editor.