1922 Advance Rumely

This 1922 Advance Rumely universal steam engine was designed for threshing grain and saw milling. The machine was strong enough to handle threshing or mill work but light enough to safely go over the wooden bridges that were common in the rural Iowa landscape. Ed Smolik would proclaim with enthusiasm "this engine is an Iowa machine".

The M. Rumely Company (originally named for brothers Meinard & John Rumely) suffered some financial difficulties in 1915 and the company was reorganized as Advance Rumely Company of La Porte, IN.

Success did not continue for the new company. Their general financial collapse began in 1929 with the Great Depression and by early 1930 hit the Advance Rumely Company hard. By 1931, the entire Advance Rumely line was acquired by the Allis-Chalmers Manufacturing Co. ending the Advance Rumely era.