Simplicity was founded by William J. Niederkorn in 1922, and started building riding garden tractors in 1939. Between 1941 and 1945, due to World War II, Simplicity Manufacturing temporarily halted production of lawn and garden products and manufactured electric fence controllers and external surface grinders to satisfy the War Production Board. Allis-Chalmers purchased the company in 1965, and Simplicity's management bought it back in 1983. Simplicity Manufacturing celebrated its 75th anniversary in 1997.