Bobcat Commemorates its History with Exhibit at National Inventors Hall of Fame Museum

Exhibit features the original compact loader – the precursor to the modern skid-steer loader    

WEST FARGO, N.D. (May 22, 2023) – Bobcat Company, a global compact equipment, innovation and worksite solutions brand, has its history on display in a new exhibit within the National Inventors Hall of Fame® Museum in Alexandria, VA.   

The opening of the museum exhibit follows the announcement from earlier this year that Cyril and Louis Keller, the brothers who invented the world’s first compact loader (later named the Bobcat® skid-steer loader), have been selected as 2023 inductees for the National Inventors Hall of Fame (NIHF).    

“As Bobcat celebrates 65 years since the invention of the machine that created the compact equipment industry, we are thrilled to uplift our history to museum attendees of all ages,” said Mike Ballweber, Doosan Bobcat North America president. “As a company we continue to grow and evolve, but we stay connected to our roots through our spirit of innovation sparked by the Keller brothers.”  

The museum exhibit features one of the Keller brothers’ original three-wheel loaders, along with a timeline of Bobcat’s history and a video display highlighting various aspects of Bobcat’s products, people and initiatives.   

The loader on display in the exhibit was one of the first 10 compact loaders built in the late 1950s by the Keller brothers and has been generously offered on loan from the Keller family. Joe Keller, son of the late Louis Keller, transported this family heirloom nearly 1,400 miles from North Dakota to Virginia to be exhibited in the museum. Along his journey, he visited several Bobcat dealerships to showcase the loader to staff, customers and fans.   

The Bobcat exhibit will be on display through April 2024. The NIHF Museum is located inside the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, 600 Dulany St., Alexandria, VA. It is free and open to the public Monday to Friday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and the first Saturday of every month from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. It is closed on Sundays and federal holidays.   

Cyril and Louis Keller will be inducted posthumously into NIHF on Oct. 26.   

Learn more about the history of Bobcat.

About Bobcat Company  

Since 1958, Bobcat Company has been empowering people to accomplish more. As a leading global manufacturer of compact equipment, Bobcat has a proud legacy of innovation and a reputation based on delivering smart solutions to customers’ toughest challenges. Backed by the support of a worldwide network of independent dealers and distributors, Bobcat offers an extensive line of compact equipment, including loaders, excavators, compact tractors, utility products, telehandlers, mowers, attachments, implements, parts, and services. Headquartered in West Fargo, North Dakota, Bobcat continues to lead the industry, all while helping people succeed and build stronger communities and a better tomorrow.    

About the National Inventors Hall of Fame     

The National Inventors Hall of Fame is the premier nonprofit organization in America dedicated to recognizing inventors and inventions, promoting creativity, and advancing the spirit of innovation and entrepreneurship. Founded in 1973 in partnership with the United States Patent and Trademark Office, NIHF is committed to not only honoring the individuals whose inventions have made the world a better place, but to ensuring American ingenuity continues to thrive in the hands of coming generations through its national, hands-on educational programming and collegiate competitions focused on the exploration of science, technology, engineering and mathematics. For more information, visit invent.org. To nominate an inventor for Induction, visit invent.org/nominate.     

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