History of Troy-Bilt
In 1937, Troy-Bilt introduced the first American-made rear tine rototiller. Since then, we have brought that legendary gardening expertise to some of the industry's finest lawn and garden tools. For over 60 years, we've been working with gardening experts and lawn care enthusiasts to design, build and continually improve our products. We are proud to make the top-quality tillers, mowers, tractors and yard tools that demanding homeowner's like you are looking for.
First American-Made Rototiller
Troy-Bilt produces a variety of yard and garden tools that has aided generations of enthusiasts in creating their perfect outdoor haven. It started more than 60 years ago when it introduced the first American-made rear-tine rototiller and changed the face of home gardening in the United States.
In 1937, C.W. Kelsey unveiled the Model A-1. Kelsey's inspiration was an imported, commercial German machine known as the Earth Grinder. He was determined to design a rototiller that was suited for the rocky American soil while satisfying the needs of home owners. After nearly two decades of development, the Model A-1 was manufactured in Troy, New York, and was a 400-pound, 4 1/4-horsepower machine with cleated steel wheels. It featured Kelsey's exclusive rear-mounted tines and power-driven wheels, which would define the Troy-Bilt tiller for years to come.
Kelsey retired after 26 years in the business. Picking up where he left off was George Done, who previously worked as Kelsey's chief engineer. In 1962, Done designed a 4 1/2-horsepower, rear-end tiller known as the Trojan Horse, that was heavier and more powerful than previous models and a single-purpose machine. With the demand for orders increasing, a new 6-horsepower model with an electric starter was added to the Trojan Horse line in 1965.
Rototillers were once a specialized agricultural piece of equipment and evolved into a distinctive product with the innovation of early pioneers such as Kelsey and Done. Despite the hundreds of improvements since Kelsey's day, two features from the original design have remained the same - rear-mounted tines and power-driven wheels - changing the way we garden today.
