The innovations of the Best family are deeply rooted in the history of heavy machinery and in the evolution of the modern tractor. While Clarence Leo Best, commonly known as C.L., is celebrated as a genius of gasoline-powered tracklayers and a founder of the Caterpillar Tractor Co., his engineering prowess was forged in the foundries of his father, Daniel Best, whose steam tractors ruled the agricultural landscape of the late 19th century.
Clarence Leo Best, better known as C.L. Best, started young and was raised in the business. Born in 1878, he began work with his father, Daniel Best, for the Best Manufacturing Company in 1891 when he was only 13 years old. This apprenticeship gave him a good grounding in the mechanics of tractors, including his father's development of steam and early gas tractors.
In 1908, after a patent infringement lawsuit and intense competition, Daniel Best sold the Best Manufacturing Company to his rival, Benjamin Holt. The younger C.L. Best remained with the company at first, managing the San Leandro plant for Holt. In 1910, however, driven by ambition and possibly family rivalry, C.L. Best struck out on his own to form his own company: the C.L. Best Gas Traction Company.
Operating in direct competition with Holt, C.L. Best proved to be a formidable innovator. While Holt was known for conservative, consistent designs, Best was continually refining and improving his machines. He introduced the "Tracklayer" line of tractors, including the legendary Model 60 Tracklayer. The Model 60 is considered one of the greatest crawler models ever built, featuring innovative engineering such as:
The rivalry between the Best and Holt families finally subsided in the face of the economic strains of the post-WWI recession. In 1925, the two companies merged into the Caterpillar Tractor Co. C.L. Best became its first chairman of the board, holding the position until his death in 1951. His design principles, especially those of the Model 60, would be a template for Caterpillar's success going forward. "Caterpillar Yellow" machines would eventually build landmarks like the Hoover Dam and the Golden Gate Bridge.
Before C.L. Best transformed the industry with gasoline tracklayers, the Best name was synonymous with steam. The Best Manufacturing Company, founded by Daniel Best, manufactured some of the most powerful and distinctive steam traction engines of the era.
Daniel Best built his first steam traction engine in 1889 after seeing a Remington steamer and buying the rights to manufacture it. Within a year he made improvements to the design that better met the demands of Western agriculture and hauling.
One of the most famous surviving examples of a Best steam tractor is "Old Dinah." Purchased in 1894 to haul borax out of Death Valley, this 110-horsepower engine was intended to replace the famous 20-mule teams. Capable of hauling heavy loads of borax ore to the railhead, Dinah was a mechanical marvel of her time. The harsh desert environment proved difficult; the tractor struggled with soft sand and steep grades, and mechanical maintenance was constant.
Although "Old Dinah" was eventually retired and replaced by mules and then railroads, the Best steam tractors remained a dominant force in agriculture for decades. In applications requiring immense power, they were ideal for logging, freighting, and pulling massive combined harvesters. As the steam era gave way to the internal combustion engines championed by C.L. Best, the robust engineering of the Best steamers laid the foundation for the heavy equipment industry that followed.
SN is located on Patent plate, left side frame near front end.
Mfg. 1914-1917 in Stockton, CA, USA
7006
7010-7136
7079 Heidrick Ag. Museum, Woodland, CA, USA
7125 Wallace Ranch, Woodland, CA, USA
7201-7419
7365 Joseph Heidrick Foundation, Woodland, CA, USA
14001 to 14005 Mfg. 1916-1918 in Peoria, IL Only 5 produced
Unknown Serial Numbers
Jim Heater, Brooks, OR, USA
Bright’s Pioneer Museum, Le Grand, CA, USA
1101-11011 Mfg. 1914 Peoria, IL, USA
SN painted on ends of fuel tank or sides of radiator hood.
Later models the SN is located on Patent plate, left side frame near front.
5001-5301 Mfg. 1912-1916 in Stockton
1914 5197 Heidrick Ag. Museum, Woodland, CA, USA
1914 5296 Wollesen Ranch, Lockwood, CA, USA
5018 Boyajian Family, Tulare, CA, USA
UnKnown Serial Numbers
Boyajian Family, Tulare, CA, USA
SN painted on rear of machine
1912 267 Peoria, IL, USA
502-542 Mfg. 1912-1913 Peoria, IL, USA
545-571 Mfg. 1913 Peoria, IL, USA
1001-1055 Mfg. 1908-1911 in Stockton, CA, USA
1004 Joseph Heidrick Foundation, Woodland, CA, USA
1915 10349 Peoria, IL, USA
201-266 Mfg. 1909-1912 Peoria, IL, USA
268-280 Mfg. 1912 Peoria, IL, USA
282-295 Mfg. 1912 Peoria, IL, USA
1912 573 Peoria
1056-1099 Mfg. 1909-1911 Stockton, CA, USA
1909 102 Heidrick Ag. Museum, Woodland, CA, USA Northern Holt 45B, Only Holt Mfg. in MN, USA
Holt 45: Information
Holt 45: Care & Operation Manual
1100-1209 Mfg 1910-1911 in Stockton, CA, USA
SN located on front side of motor bracket or on sides of radiator
11012-11504 Mfg. 1911-1916 in Peoria, IL, USA
SN located on Patent plate at the front right side of machine
11566-11677 Mfg. 1917 in Peoria, IL, USA
SN located on Patent plate at the front right side of machine
12000-12041 Mfg. 1916-1918 in Peoria, IL, USA
12150-12151 Mfg. 1917 in Peoria, IL, USA
12250-12252 Mfg. 1917 in Peoria, IL, USA
20001-21209 Mfg. 1915-1921 in Stockton, CA, USA
SN located on Patent plate at front right side, radiator sides
20372 Carl Kirsch, OR, USA
20527 Holt Machinery, San Antonio, TX, USA
20664 CA, USA
20684 CA, USA
20871 Bouris Ranches, CA, USA
20882 CA, USA
21211-21232 Mfg. 1920-1921 in Stockton, CA, USA
1921 21235 in Stockton, CA, USA
21237-21243 Mfg. 1921 in Stockton, CA, USA
21242 CA, USA
Unknown Serial Number Machines
Tom Lelmorini, CA, USA being restored by Don Hunter
UC Davis, Davis, CA, USA
South Australia
Netherlands
Booleroo Steam & Traction Preservation Society, Booleroo, Australia
Heidrick Ag. Museum, Woodland, CA, USA
Prairie Village, SD, USA
Antique Powerland, Brooks, OR, USA
281 Mfg. 1912 Peoria, IL, USA
543-544 Mfg. 1913 Peoria, IL, USA
10001-10205 Mfg. 1912-1914 Peoria, IL, USA
10207-10217 Mfg. 1914 Peoria, IL, USA
10239 Mfg. 1915 Peoria, IL, USA
10244-10245 Mfg. 1915 Peoria, IL, USA
10344-10345 Mfg. 1915 Peoria, IL, USA
10352-10371 Mfg. 1915 Peoria, IL, USA
1210-1909 Mfg. 1911-1913 Stockton, CA, USA
572 Mfg. 1913 Peoria, IL, USA
1912 515 Bill Peterson (need to confirm serial number, it should read 572)
Only known Peoria Built 60
10319 Mfg. 1915 Peoria, IL, USA
Any machine with a number grater than 2500 is a Model 75
SN location on front side motor bracket or radiator sides
1210 to 1909 Mfg. 1911-1913 in Stockton
1375 Reynolds-Alberta Museum, Alberta, Canada
1547 Reynolds-Alberta Museum, Alberta, Canada
1838 IL, USA
SN location on patent plate front side motor bracket
2000 to 2599 Mfg. 1913-1916 in Stockton, CA, USA
1913 2045 Moulding Collection Ogden UT, USA former Gary Wolverton Twin Falls ID.
2134 Victoria, Australia
2197 CA, USA
2217 Heidrick Ag. Museum, Woodland, CA, USA
UnKnown Serial Numbers
Ken Eder, Carthage, NC, USA Mint condition
Bright’s Pioneer Museum, Le Grand, CA, USA
Holt Cat Inc., San Antonio, TX, USA
Holt 75: Manual for Care and Operation
Holt 75: Information
Early Stockton Mfg serial #2500-3999
Has square metal radiator
2500 to 4077 Mfg. 1916-1924 in Stockton, CA, USA
SN located on Patent plate front side motor bracket
1917 2538 Goessel, KS, USA
279? Mehmke Farm Museum, Great Falls, MT, USA
1917 2885
1917 2928 Don Hunter, CA, USA restored
3018 Marc Geerkens, Belgium, EU
1918 3272 Ed Smolik, Osage, CA, USA
1918 3281 Renyolds Museum Alberta, Canda
1918 3327 Jack Nikkel Antique Farm EQ. Museum Tulare CA, USA
1918 3362 Antique Powerland Brooks OR, USA
1918 3456 CA, USA
1918 3478 Wallace Ranch Woodland CA, USA
1918 3564 Heidrick Museum Woodland CA, USA
1918 3580
1918 3662 Haggin Museum OR, USA
1918 3690 UC Davis Davis CA, USA
3716 Tyler Family Moore MT, USA
1918 3742 Milton French CA, USA
1918 3767 Jeff Huff Honeoye NY, USA
1919 3776 Jack Alexander Woodland CA, USA
3850 England
1919 3901 Dalton MN, USA
3960 – 3961
3965 – 3972
3973 – 3979
3980 – 3989
4001 – 4057
4068 – 4077
Unknown Serial Numbers
Doug Veerkamp Placerville CA, USA
Bright’s Pioneer Museum Le Grand CA, USA
Antique Farm Eq. Musuem Tulare CA, USA
UC Davis Davis CA, USA
Haggin Museum CA, USA
(3) Holt Cat Inc. San Antonio TX, USA
Late Stockton Mfg. Model 75 serial #4001-4057, 4068-4077
Has square cast radiator
1921 4008 Larry Maasdam
1922 4026
1922 4032 Fred Heidrick, Woodland, CA, USA
1922 4057 Irvin Baker, Ripon, CA, USA
1922 4068 Doug Veerkamp, Placerville, CA, USA
Unknown Serial Numbers
England
SN located on Patent plate, front right side
Has slimmer cast radiator
10206 Mfg 1914
10218 Mfg 1914
10235-10238 Mfg 1915
10240-10243 Mfg 1915
10246-10299 Mfg 1915
10320-10321 Mfg 1915
10335-10343 Mfg 1915
10346-10348 Mfg 1915
10350 Mfg 1915
10372-10848 Mfg 1915
101000-101580 Mfg 1916
101648-101765 Mfg 1917
101851-102508 Mfg 1918
102519-102745 Mfg 1919
1918 Tom Madden Paso Robles CA, USA military
Unknown Serial Number Machines
Wallace Ranch, Woodland, CA, USA
Paso Robles Pioneer Day Committe
Western Development Museum, Canada
England (2)
Former Wollesen Homestead
Clark County Museum, NV, USA
Former Gary Gallagher
Netherlands
Pontiac IL, USA
Peter Holt TX, USA
Holt 120: Care and Operation Manual
Holt 120: Information
10300-10318
10322-10334
Mfg 1915 in Peoria, IL, USA
13001-13074 Mfg. 1916-1922 in Peoria, IL, USA
Only one known to survive the war because it was never put to service by goverment.
Purchased from a military base in CA. by Heidrick.
1917 13130 Heidrick Ag. Museaum, Woodland, CA, USA military
13076-13161 Mfg. 1916-1922 in Peoria, IL, USA
13180-13274 Mfg. 1916-1922 in Peoria, IL, USA
13371-13401 Mfg. 1916-1922 in Peoria, IL, USA
30001-30310 Mfg. 1918-1919 in Peoria, IL, USA
Unknown SN
Unit from Alaska Tom Madden, Paso Robles, CA, USA
Incomplete Unit in Venezuela
Incomplete Unit in South America
