50 years since the last oliver was built

This next week marks 50 years since the beginning of the end for the production of Oliver tractors. On Monday, February 9, 1976 (which the days of the week happen to match the 2026 calendar) the tractor plant began this final build. By Friday that week, February 13, 1976, the final tractor to bear the Oliver name rolled off the assembly line in Charles City, Iowa. An Oliver 2255, serial number 266 782-713, became the final legacy for the meadow green and clover white Oliver tractors. After this, no additional tractors branded as Oliver were made. The Oliver Tractor Plant took one week off from building the new White branded tractors to roll out one final batch of Olivers beginning on February 9, 1976 and ending on February 13, 1976. Exactly 100 model 2255's were built that week beginning with serial number 266 683-705. According to research conducted by Oliver tractor expert Chris Losey, the last 100 Oliver model includes:
- 20 two-wheel drive models for domestic sale
- 15 two-wheel for export
- 65 four-wheel drive models for export
From these records, it is believed the last 20 Oliver 2255's were built for the domestic market meaning the last Oliver was hopefully sold in the United States! So the next question is what happened to this last Oliver 2255? The last OLIVER built? The tractor that ended the meadow green legacy? The answer is we don't know! Checking with many other Oliver experts, no one seems to know either!

Here is what we do know on the LAST OLIVER TRACTOR:
- Model 2255  with serial number 266 782-713 built on February 13, 1976
- It shipped on February 27, 1976 from Charles City, Iowa
- Shipped to Morton, Illinois. The dealer in Morton was Bill Bartelmay Farm Equipment.
- As built at the factory, it was a 4 wheel tractor with the Oliver factory cab.

Although this picture is NOT the last Oliver built, it is a very similarly equipped Oliver 2255.

This newspaper picture from 1967 shows the Oliver dealership in Morton, Illinois that received this 2255 - the last Oliver tractor ever built!

Regardless of which model Oliver tractor you own, one great resource if you have any Oliver's model years 1954 to 1976 is the build card record for your tractor.  You can order it from the Floyd County Museum in Charles City, Iowa by simply providing them your serial number! These are a "must have" for Oliver owners and helps support the musem.

So as we commemorate the 50th anniversary of Oliver tractors, let's see if we can find this LAST OLIVER! Heck, let's see if we can locate any of these last 100 Olivers built! We need your help - please SHARE this with any Oliver tractor owners you know, especially owners of Oliver 2255's. We need them to check those serial numbers! How many of these final 100 Oliver tractors can we locate still in existence today?

If you find one or know of one, you can reach out to us using the form below or on our Facebook page.

OLIVER MODEL 2255
SERIAL NUMBER RANGE: 266 683-705 to 266 782-713