Baltimore's Packing & Canning Industry: Directory of Individuals & companies engaged in the Oyster, Fruit & Vegetable Industry from 1840 to 1940($14.99Value)

Description

After years of extensive research, Jane Sears has completed her book on the Baltimore's Packing and Canning Industry, the city's second largest industry in the late 1800's and early 1900's. The book begins in the first half of the 19th century with the industry pioneers and goes up to 1940.The largest chapter in the book, is a directory of the companies and owners doing business in oyster packing and canning as well as tin can makers and other supporting businesses, their locations, dates of operation and as many brand names as could be found. The author used city directories and other resources to get as much information as possible about this very important industry. Included in the book are illustrations of packers and canners company owners, buildings, trade cards, bill heads, letterheads, statements, advertisements, envelopes (advertising covers), labels, badges, oyster express train schedule, revenue stamps, trademarks and more. There are also illustrations of over 130 tokens.This book is highly recommended for Baltimore historians and is a great resource for those interested in genealogy, the history of the packing and canning industry and for collector of items associated with the industry. "Many native Baltimoreans are unfamiliar with the important role that Baltimore played in the history of the packing and canning industries. The story began in the early nineteenth century with the packing and shipping of Chesapeake Bay oysters to other parts of the country, and continued through the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, when Baltimore was a leader in the canning of fruits and vegetables. The book begins with a timeline which identifies key events in the history of oyster packing and the canning industry in Baltimore and the nation. One later chapter lists the oyster houses and packers located in Baltimore from 1810 to 1840, and another identifies the packers and canners and the products then canned. The largest section of the book is devoted to and alphabetical directory of persons and businesses in the packing and canning trades in Baltimore, gleaned from city directories, telephone directories, newspapers, letterheads, labels and other sources, with street addresses and years. Many of the business listings include additional information, such as plant locations, branch offices and number of employees. The book is profusely illustrated. One section depicts packing and canning businesses in Baltimore, with portraits of some of their owners. There are illustrations of trade marks, early packers’ advertisements, packing tokens, labels, trade cards and other collectibles. `This is a valuable resource for studying the history of Baltimore industries. Family historians tracing ancestors who were employed in these industries may find information on their businesses, and perhaps illustrations related to them, in these pages. Collectors of items related to these businesses will want to refer both to the directory and to the many pages of illustrations of collectibles." Maryland Genealogical Society Journal – Volume 56 Number 3 2015 Book Review – Allender Sybert