Wayne and Betty Hutton have an amazing International Harvester Museum located on their farm just on the edge of Clarence, Missouri.

Wayne had collected the larger tractors and implements in his collection, but Betty is the one who got Wayne started in the memorabilia collection and they have a great collection of both. By walking into their home and the sheds you can see that they have saved and revived numerous red International Harvester items both big, small, and rare.

Betty recalled one deal that got away when they were first collecting items. When they were still dating, they were attending the Mount Pleasant, Iowa Old Threshers back in the day when there were hay wagons full of junk and antiques. Betty picked up an item and wondered to herself why someone would do that to a gas cap. After collecting for a while, she did come to find out that IH made a cookie cutter. At some point Betty found another one and it is now in their collection. In their collection they have a U.S. International Harvester M1 Garand rifle which is not the one Wayne carried but it is just like it while serving as an MP for the United States Army during the Vietnam Era. At an earlier time in life Betty lived in Canton, IL. Canton is the home of Canton Works—which became the world-famous International Harvester Company Plow Factory– The first steel plow in Canton was made by William Parlin in this foundry in 1842. Betty has a bulletin board from the plant and many of the service pins that were awarded to employees.

Both have a knack for spotting the International items at auctions, antique shops, flea markets, and sometimes people know what they collect so they call them up to see if they want to buy an item. On one occasion they came home, and an International Harvester jacket was hanging on one of the shed’s doors.

A rare item is a Red Baby dump truck made by Arcade in Freeport, IL. Wayne can tell you a lot of history on their collection and when this truck was new it sold for 99¢. A friend of Betty’s gave them an IH kangaroo which was an Australia Corporate award. Probably the rarest item they own is the only 1950 Experimental M. The M came from Burr Ridge which is the Experimental Farm in Hinsdale, IL. After all testing was completed on these tractors they were meant to be disassembled and destroyed. Their M is the only one that survived. Wayne has a wealth of knowledge about this tractor on what worked and what did not.

Wayne and Betty are each Founding Members of the Missouri Chapter 1 International Harvester’s Club joining in 1992. They have been featured in Successful Farming in 1991, Missouri Ruralist in 1995, and Missouri Farming Today in 2008. Wayne suffered from a heart attack shortly after his interview in 1991. Since 1990 they have attended every Red Power Round Up to date with a nice display of the pins from each one, they are in hopes of making it to Pennsylvania this summer.

Wayne and Betty have a lot to celebrate in January Wayne has a birthday on the 20th and on January 19th of this year they are celebrating their 25th wedding anniversary. Wayne and Betty have two children a daughter Audrea Anderson of California and a son Troy Carlyle who passed away in 2010. They also have two grandchildren and one great-grand-child.

If you ever get to Clarence be sure to call the Hutton’s for a tour, it will be well worth your time.