Steinbacks donate plow to S.D. Ag Museum

The South Dakota Agricultural Heritage Museum received the donation of a Wiard X130 hillside wood beam reversible walking plow from Marvin and Marilyn Steinback of Brookings County on Sept. 26.

The Wiard Plow Co. patented the X130 plow on July 14, 1896. The plow is designed to easily change the direction of the moldboard. It also has a removable front plow share, allowing the farmer to replace it when it becomes dull.

“It was used mainly by farmers, but also by fire and forestry departments to plow firebreaks,” Marvin said.

This design allowed farmers to plow back and forth instead of in a spiral. This was also beneficial on hillsides.

Marvin, having served on a museum board himself, knew the value of the piece for South Dakota’s agricultural history. After careful consideration, he decided the South Dakota Agricultural Heritage Museum should be the one to care for this rare plow.

“We really appreciate Marvin and Marilyn Steinback for donating this unique plow for the museum’s collection to be preserved for future generations. It is a testament to their belief in the importance of educating future generations about agriculture in South Dakota,” said Gwen McCausland, director of the museum.

Marvin grew up on a farm just outside of Brookings. Besides being a farmer and having other various careers, Marvin is best known for his long career as a welder fabricator for the Brookings County Highway Department. After retiring from the highway department, he and his wife of 52 years, Marilyn, owned and operated a welding and machine shop together for 12 years. Marvin has been retired for 23 years now but continues growing his collection of machinery and antique items.

The South Dakota Agricultural Heritage Museum’s mission is to inspire a passion for the diverse history, culture and science of agriculture in South Dakota. It is the official state museum for preserving the history of agriculture and rural life of South Dakota as well a department of South Dakota State University. It is the state coordinator for the National History Day program in South Dakota. The museum is located in the historic Stock Judging Pavilion on the SDSU campus at 977 11th St., Brookings. The museum is open Monday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday from 1-5 p.m. For more information, call 605-688-6226 or visit the museum.