At five days old, he attended his first steam engine show. At nine years old, he learned about the 150 Case steam tractor, the largest ever made in the early 20th century. In 2018, Kory Anderson created, by hand, a rendition of that 150 Case, a feat that earned him a place in the Guinness World Records.
But beyond steam engines Kory’s love for American history rings true in other forms, most importantly now by inspiring younger generations to invest in the classic trades that make the United States the manufacturing force it once was.
Now a Lakeside resident and owner of Iron Warrior — a company that helps get youth involved in the trades — Kory uses his knowledge and passion to expand that passion to other people.
Kory, who grew up in South Dakota, was surrounded by the trades as a child. His father was a farmer and his mother a nurse, but they were both hobbyists when it came to old tractors. It’s an interest that quickly transferred to Kory himself.
Steam engines garnered his attention for many reasons, specifically for the way they revolutionized the world. They changed everything, Kory said. When he learned about the 150 Case, he was hooked. None of the engines survived into the future, until he recreated it from scratch in 2018.
“As a nine-year-old boy, being around steam engines my whole life and hearing that there was one even bigger that existed that doesn’t exist anymore drove my curiosity,” Kory says. “It became a dream of mine to see that tractor.”
Kory soon knew that in order to see the tractor, he was going to have to build it himself, which meant taking 75,000 pounds of iron and steel and turning it into history reincarnated. No one else was taking on that project, he said, so it was up to him.
He studied mechanical engineering at North Dakota State University for three years before leaving to do an apprenticeship. Kory knew he learned better with his hands.
After an apprenticeship in Germany, he came back and started welding out of his garage, starting Anderson Industries in 2006 at age 22. Kory started making castings, bought a CNC machine, also called a computer numerical control machine, and grew his business.
Kory became the tradesman he is thanks to incredible mentors, he said, and by 2017 he decided it was time to take on his lifetime dream of building the 150 Case steam engine. He wanted his mentors to see it come to fruition.
“I wanted it to be a tribute to their passion of preserving history,” he says.
He went to Racine, Wisconsin to get the original blueprints for the machine and built the tractor for a year and a half. Upon its completion, the feat garnered national attention.
“The coolest thing about it was proving to myself that if you put in the work and surround yourself with the right mentors, if you develop enough skill and put in the work, nothing is impossible,” Kory says.
It was an experience that led him to incite inspiration in younger generations to pursue their own dreams, in particular those geared for the trades, hopefully encouraging and inspiring them to start their own careers and businesses one day.
That is where the Iron Warrior program began, helping younger generations develop the character qualities to become successful tradesmen. The program began in 2019 with immersive classes. It developed to have two missions: preserve American manufacturing and acquire factories to breathe new life into them.
After traveling to Montana throughout his life, Kory and his wife decided to move to Lakeside in 2021. It’s a place he is confident to build his business and interact with younger generations in an effort to grow trades locally and across the country.
“That is one thing that I really love about Montana. There is a huge demand for the trades, both with the development that is going on and the culture of this place; it’s still interested in the trades," Kory says.
The Flathead is a very skilled trades foundational community, he said. Since moving here, he has been able to partner with high schools across the area to offer work opportunities for high school credits.
Outside of local work, Kory is shifting to grow his online presence, hoping to influence more people to get invested.
“The biggest thing is surrounding yourself with the right people,” Kory says. “It will be the best investment that you make.”
If you are interested in supporting the mission, the Iron Warrior Academy has a nonprofit where people and organizations can get involved. For more information, visit MadeByAnderson.com.
“I wanted it to be a tribute to their passion of preserving history."