11/04/2026
A full-circle story 68 years in the making… 🚛🤎
On November 16, 1957, at the Wilson’s Nursery auction in Middletown, RI, the late Thomas J. Rodrigues purchased a 1916 Federal stake body truck. He lovingly restored it and proudly drove it in local parades- including Little Compton’s historic LC 300 Parade back in 1975.
After he passed away in the mid-1980s, the family’s “old truck” was sold to a collector in Indianapolis. For decades, we thought it was gone forever. But in 2018, against all odds, we found it, bought it back, and brought it home to roll once again for the town’s major LC 350 celebration.
Now, she finally has company.
Meet the newest addition to the farm: our 1933 Federal JBX Stake Body truck! Originally serving the Midwest, this rare survivor has undergone a frame-off restoration and still proudly bears its hand-painted vintage branding from “Nickels Stock Farms, Monroe Michigan” across the doors.
Built 17 years apart by the legendary Federal Motor Truck Company in Detroit, these two beautifully preserved workhorses now stand side by side on the Farm Coast. Both share a matching destiny- ready to hit the road together for upcoming parades, local truck shows, and casual community get-togethers.
Both historic trucks are officially home in Little Compton, bridging nearly a century of family and agricultural history. Come say hello, check out the trucks, and view this rare pair parked side by side at the farm this upcoming season!
