Van Camp Packing Company postcard
Collection — Folder: S2017
Identifier: S2017
Scope and Contents
This collection includes a postcard from Van Camp Packing Company in Indianapolis, Indiana on October 28, 1909, regarding price increase on canned, evaporated milk.
Dates
- 1909/10/28
Creator
- Van Camp Packing Company (Indianapolis, Ind.) (Organization)
Conditions Governing Access
This collection is open for research.
Conditions Governing Use
Legal title, copyright, and literary rights reside with Rare Books and Manuscripts, Indiana State Library, Indianapolis, IN. All requests to publish or quote from manuscripts must be submitted to Rare Books and Manuscripts.
Administrative History
Van Camp Packing Company was founded in Indianapolis, Indiana in 1861, by Gilbert Courtland Van Camp. The first major contract was with the Union Army in 1862. In 1882 (having incorporated in 1875 as the G.C. Van Camp and Sons Packing Company), they had sales of $100,000 (upwards of 8 million cans of beans) and their headquarters was at 202 West Market St, with the factory located in the 300 block of Kentucky Avenue. They began advertising nationally in 1890 and added Worcestershire sauce and extra-fine tomatoes to the product line. In 1894, Frank Van Camp, Gilbert's son, added catsup and bacon to make a more distinctive tasting baked bean. He became president of the company upon the death of his father. Frank's brother Cortland was very involved with both the Packing Company and Van Camp Hardware, which Courtland started in 1876. He invested a large amount of capital in Van Camp Packing Company, which helped the company grow considerably. In 1908 George Stokely (whose family business of canning began in 1898 in Tennessee) came to Indianapolis to learn about modern canning practices from the Van Camp Company. The Van Camp Packing Company merged in 1933 with Stokely Brothers and Company to become Stokely-Van Camp. Inc. (official name as of 1944).
Sources:
Beck, Bill. "Stokely-Van Camp". In The Encyclopedia of Indianapolis, 1300-1301. Bloomington, IN: Indiana University Press, 1994.
Freeland, Sharon Busch. "HI Mailbag: Typographical Terrace." HistoricIndianapolis.com. Accessed August 20, 2014. http://historicindianapolis.com/hi-mailbag-typographical-terrace.
"Van Camp Hardware of Indianapolis." Fishing for History, June 8, 2011. Accessed August 20, 2014. http://fishinghistory.blogspot.com/2011/06/52-trade-houses-part-10-van-camp.html.
"Van Camp Packing Company." Manufacturing and Mercantile Resources of Indianapolis. N.p.: Historical and Statistical Publishing Company, 1883.
Sources:
Beck, Bill. "Stokely-Van Camp". In The Encyclopedia of Indianapolis, 1300-1301. Bloomington, IN: Indiana University Press, 1994.
Freeland, Sharon Busch. "HI Mailbag: Typographical Terrace." HistoricIndianapolis.com. Accessed August 20, 2014. http://historicindianapolis.com/hi-mailbag-typographical-terrace.
"Van Camp Hardware of Indianapolis." Fishing for History, June 8, 2011. Accessed August 20, 2014. http://fishinghistory.blogspot.com/2011/06/52-trade-houses-part-10-van-camp.html.
"Van Camp Packing Company." Manufacturing and Mercantile Resources of Indianapolis. N.p.: Historical and Statistical Publishing Company, 1883.
Extent
0.01 Cubic Feet (1 folder)
Language of Materials
English
Arrangement
This collection consists of one item.
Custodial History
This collection was received by Rare Books and Manuscripts as a donation.
Accruals
No further additions are expected.
Processing Information
Collection processing completed 2014/08/20 by Edythe Huffman. EAD finding aid created 2014/08/20 by Edythe Huffman. EAD finding aid revised 2025/10/22 by Brittany Kropf.
Creator
- Van Camp Packing Company (Indianapolis, Ind.) (Organization)
- Title
- Van Camp Packing Company postcard
- Status
- Completed
- Description rules
- Describing Archives: A Content Standard
- Language of description
- English
- Script of description
- Latin
Repository Details
Part of the Rare Books and Manuscripts Repository
Contact:
140 North Senate Avenue
Indianapolis, Indiana 46204 U.S.A.
317-232-3671
140 North Senate Avenue
Indianapolis, Indiana 46204 U.S.A.
317-232-3671
