Louis Keller

Developer, Skid Steer Loader / N/A / 1923 - 2010 / Inducted 1999

Brothers Cyril & Louis Keller were blacksmiths who operated their own machine shop in Rothsay, Minnesota. Neither was educated past eighth grade, but they were an inventive pair and often were called upon to solve the problems of area farmers.

One day in 1956, a farmer told the Kellers he needed a machine to clean manure from the close quarters in his turkey barns. it had to be light weight in order to work on the upper level. The Kellers developed a three-wheel machine that was able to turn within its own length, and a new type of loader was born.

Les Melroe saw the machine, liked it and bought the manufacturing rights, hiring the brothers to develop it further. By 1960, the first four-wheel drive skid steer loader went on sale under the name "Bobcat." Since that time, a wealth of attachments - including tracks - have made the skid steer one of construction's most versatile machines.