This building at Riverside and Mulberry, right as you drive into downtown, used to be the Western Food Products Co. pickle factory. “Destroyed in an arson-caused fire May 29th, 1990,” says the Triangle Review, our previous alt-weekly.
I recall that until recently there was more left of it, but I can’t find a recent picture. I always thought it would make a great locale for the local community radio station, KRFC.
Pickle factory remains
Update: Through the amazing technology of Google Maps, I did find a photo that’s just a little dated. And in fact, there was much more to the pickle factory not so long ago:
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What I remember of the pickle factory in the late ’50’s and early 60’s were the LARGE wooden vats that ran all along Riverside (east side) between Mountain Avenue and Mulberry. There was always a mild pickled pungency in the air along that stretch of road.
I remember the Summer of 75 when I was slaving away at the “Pickle Farm” as we called it. The Farm was located behind the Hospital and the Helecoptor Pad is located right about where the center of the farm was. We would pick cucumbers by the thousands and take them to the factory.
I’m of the understanding the farm was part of the poor farm during the depression which housed the workers.
It’s so unfair for y’all to revisit my earliest posts. I deleted several of them already. In fact, this building, I’m told, came after the pickle factory.
Karl…The oldest part of the hospital was originally the infirmary for the county poor farm. I had no idea anyone still farmed it up into the 70s. Thanks Karl!