BONNERS FERRY — Boundary Tractor is celebrating 50 years in business, marking five decades of serving the agricultural and property needs of Boundary County. 

The business first opened in 1976 in the former Southside Tractor building on the South Hill, following the closure of a local dealership and a growing need for service in the area.  

For owner Cal Russell, that opening also marked the beginning of a lifelong connection to Bonners Ferry. Russell had been working at Coeur d’Alene Tractor when his uncle, then a manager, asked him to relocate to help open the new store. 

“A month later, I’m living here and never moved,” Russell said. 

Russell said the decision to open in Boundary County came from recognizing both an opportunity and a need. 

“We saw an opportunity and a need to serve,” he said. 

The business started small, with just three employees handling sales, parts and service, and has since grown to 15 employees. 

In the early years, Boundary Tractor focused on agricultural equipment, but over time the business expanded to meet changing customer needs. Today, the company offers equipment sales, rentals, construction tools, and recreational products. 

“It’s kind of morphed into… rental, construction, recreational…” Russell said.  

A major turning point came with the addition of equipment rentals, which helped broaden the company’s reach and services. 

As the business grew, it relocated in the late 1990s to its current Main Street location to allow for more space and expansion. 

Boundary Tractor is part of a larger, family business that dates back nearly a century. Russell said his great-grandfather, Don Adams, founded Adams Tractor in Spokane in 1929, beginning a multi-generational legacy in the industry. 

Russell said the family’s path into the tractor business began when his great-grandfather, then a fruit farmer, had a chance encounter with Henry Ford, who encouraged him to sell tractors instead of fruit. 

“Long story short, we were a Ford tractor dealer a year later.” Russell said. 

Today, the company includes Adams Tractor, Coeur d’Alene Tractor, Adams Tractor Lewiston, Adams Tractor Colville, and Boundary Tractor.  

Russell is part of the fourth generation in the business, with his son representing the fifth. 

Over the years, the company has remained closely tied to the community, with employees involved in volunteer work, local organizations, and events. 

That connection to the people it serves is one of the reasons Russell said he has remained committed to the business for so long. 

Like many long-standing businesses, Boundary Tractor has weathered economic ups and downs, growing from its original three employees to around 15 today. 

“Just for a business to survive for 50 years…I’m extremely proud,” Russell said. 

The company will celebrate its 50-year anniversary with a community event May 1, from 4 to 6 p.m. at its location at 6632 Main St. The public is invited to join in celebrating the milestone with food and community. 

Looking ahead, Russell said he hopes the business continues to meet the needs of the community for years to come. 

“A good start,” he said.  

    Ad for Boundary Tractor from the April 15, 1976