Peter Eckrich & Sons plant Boats were in high demand during the flood. On March 14, 1982 a man ferries a load of residents under the Osage Street viaduct near the Peter Eckrich & Sons plant. Sandbags kept water out of the plant and the factory continued to operate that day.
By KEVIN LEININGER from the archives of The News-Sentinel
Fort Wayne's meat-packing market today is controlled by Peter Eckrich & Sons and the Parrot Packing Co. But the cow's head that has silently protruded from the top of the building at 1825 W. Main St. for more than a century reminds us that it wasn't always that way.
Fort Wayne's original - and for a long time the largest - meat packer was the Fred Eckart Packing House. Eckart, who supposedly came to the United States from Germany at the age of 16 with 50 cents in his pocket, opened a huge slaughterhouse and meat market in 1887 at 1825 W. Main.
The building cost $25,000 to erect, and a Fort Wayne Gazette news story on Feb. 8, 1879 called the Eckart operation ``mammoth.'' The story reported 600 people were employed there.
In just three months, more than 500 cattle and 10,000 hogs were slaughtered in the Eckart plant. The animals arrived in Fort Wayne by rail from Chicago.
Eckart was apparently a very cautious businessman. The Gazette reported he could have made $25,000 more in the first few months of operation if he had been willing to take risks. ``But he prefers small profits to running the chance of losing money in search of big profits,'' the paper concluded. For that reason and others, the demand for Eckart meats usually exceeded the supply. Still, Eckart products were shipped in a day when most meat packers were strictly local.
The plant began operations long before refrigeration was common, but it was able to store, 5,000 smoked hogs and 15,000 pickled pigs at a time. Thousands of hams were preserved in salt.
To the rear of the slaughterhouse was a huge stockyard which could hold 2,000 animals. The stockyard burned in 1949, the same year the building was purchased by The Korte Paper Co.
Like most other local industries, Eckart was hurt by the Great Depression of the 1930s. The company was hit by a strike in 1934 by employees seeking a wage of 75 cents per hour for skilled labor. Eckart was $225,000 in debt and went into receivership. The packing plant was purchased in 1940 by the Kuhner Packing Co. of Muncie, who in turn sold it to Muncie's Marhoefer Packing Co. in 1946. Marhoefer kept the slaughterhouse going until Korte came in 1949.
The Eckart plant remains remarkably unaltered, even though no slaughtering has been done there in more than 30 years. Ceiling racks which once held sides of beef are still visible, and the odor of the smokehouses is still there. Brick floors with drains to carry away the blood of slaughter animals have not been paved over.
Korte officers now plan to restore the building's exterior to its original appearance so that the old cow's head on the building's facade may once again feel at home.
--Dec. 5, 1982
Selection of historic newspaper articles. There are many more than can be shown here.
Requiem mass for Peter Eckrich, 78, retired meat packer who died Monday at his home, 1041 Andalusia ave., Coral Gables, will be held at 9:15 p. m. Wednesday at the Church of the Little Flower. Father Thomas Comber will officiate and the body will be sent to Fort Wayne, Ind., by Ahern Funeral home for burial
Eckrich came here five years ago from Fort Wayne. He leaves his widow, Diana, of Coral Gables; five sons, Joseph and Clement, both of Kalamazoo, Mich.; Henry and Herman, both of Fort Wayne, and John of Jackson, Mich.; six daughters, Mrs. B. Mueller, Mrs. L. Fritz, Mrs. F. Herber, Mrs. D. Rissing and Mrs. M. Zurbach, all of Fort Wayne, and Mrs. H. Foohey of Kalamazoo.
Peter Eckrich has been granted a permit to erect a brick residence at the corner of Francis and Lewis streets, to cost $3,000, and Ruth L. Greer has been granted a permit to build a frame residence on Erie street at a cost of $600.
Two bicyclists, John Dirig, a deliveryman for the Peter Eckrich butcher shop, and an 18-year-old boy whose name could not be learned, had a collision at the corner of Francis and Lewis streets early this morning. The boy was thrown to the pavement and rendered unconscious, but recovered in a short time without the aid of a physician.
Peter Eckrich, a Lewis street butcher, left Sunday for a three months trip Germany, Holland and France which will include a visit to his old home in Germany.
Andrew Deitschel and Peter Eckrich listed for selling meat without a license. [ The Eckrich Surname List has Deitschel as a classmate that arrived with Eckrich from Germany ]
Mr. and Mrs. Peter Eckrich of East Lewis street quietly celebrated their silver wedding anniversary yesterday. Many friends and relatives called during the day to extend their congratulations.
An automobile owned by Peter Eckrich, local butcher, ran away from him at the corner of Main street and Broadway this afternoon. When Eckrich cranked the car, it slipped into gear in some manner and dashing past him proceeded down the street. A girl, who was sitting in the front of the machine, tried to control it, but seeing that she could not, jumped out. The car crashed into the front of the store window of a tin shop when it came to a halt. No one was hurt.
German Meat Market Wholesaler died March 30, 1942 and is buried in the Catholic Cemetery. Advertised heavily on television and radio during high school basketball haydays of the 1950's-1980's before cable TV and the internet when high schools filled the Memorial Coliseum games broadcast by Hillard Gates and others. From Eckrich on Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia which also states "Eckrich is a prepared meat brand owned by Smithfield Foods. It sells smoked sausages, cold cuts, hot dogs, corn dogs, Vienna sausages, breakfast sausages and bacon under the Eckrich brand name. Eckrich was founded as a local meat market in Fort Wayne, Indiana in 1894 by Peter Eckrich, an immigrant from Waldsee, Germany. The firm expanded in the local market, becoming a wholesaler in 1907 and incorporating as Peter Eckrich and Sons in 1925. It closed its last retail operation in 1932 and operated exclusively as a wholesale meat vendor. In 1972, thirty years after Peter Eckrich had died, Beatrice Foods bought the firm and merged it into its Swift and Sons meat processing division in 1986 as Swift-Eckrich. Beatrice Foods' brands were sold off over the late 1980s, culminating in 1990 with the sale of many of its brands, including Eckrich, to ConAgra. ConAgra sold Eckrich to Smithfield Foods on October 2, 2006."
Eckrich is a prepared meat brand owned by Smithfield Foods, a subsidiary of China's WH Group. Eckrich sells smoked sausages, cold cuts, hot dogs, corn dogs, Vienna sausages, breakfast sausages and bacon under the Eckrich brand name.
Peter Eckrich arrived in America at the age of 17, eager to seek his fortune. In 1894, he opened a small meat market in Fort Wayne, Indiana. There he created many of the sausages he enjoyed growing up in Germany. Peter took great pride in his craft. His dedication paid off. The business grew and before long, Peter had opened up a second shop as well as a plant to supply his growing wholesale business. By 1932, Eckrich meats were nationally recognized for their great taste and supreme quality.
Through it all, these things have never changed. The craftsmanship. The care. The pride. It’s as strong in our company today as it was in Peter Eckrich’s little Indiana shop, 120 years ago.
PETER ECKRICH
Fort Wayne Date of birth: 21 Jan 1864
Place of birth: Waldsee, Phalz, Byron, Germany
Son of: Killian Ignatz Eckrich & Maria Eva Spindler
Paternal grandparents: Johann Adams Eckrich & Maria Elizabeth Zickgraf
Maternal grandparents: Johann I. Spindler & Mary Elizabeth Kissler
Brothers: Killian I.
Aloys I
Sisters: Josefa To U.S. with his classmates Deitschel, Boxberger, Wunderlein and
Zickgraf: 1881 Date of marriage: 17 Jan 1888
Place of marriage: St. Mary's Catholic Church, Fort Wayne, IN
Spouse: Dina Hilker, b. 06 Sep 1969 in Bingham, Holland, d. 03 Sep, 1953,
daughter of Herman Hilker (b. 1827, d. 1872 in Aldenberg, Germany
& Margaret Fishkorp (b. 1835, Danakamp, Holland 1835, d. 1925 in
Fort Wayne, IN; they were married in Amsterdam, Holland in 1857);
children: Charles, who died 26 Feb in Fort Wayne, IN; Herman, b.
17 Jun 1864 in Amsterdam, d. 12 Feb 1911 in Fort Wayne, IN;
Anthony, data unknown
Daughters: Mary
Bernardette
Loretta
Helen
Florence
Martha
Dorothy
Sons: John A.
Clement Peter
Henry Carl
Herman Joseph
Joseph Robert
Trip to Waldsee, Germany to visit his birthplace: 1911
Date of Celebration of 50th Anniversary: 17 Jan 1938 Date of death: 30 Mar 1942
Place of death: Coral Gables, FL
Date of burial: 04 Apr 1942
Place of burial: Section D, Ln. 114 of Catholic cemetery,
Fort Wayne, IN
Mr. and Mrs. Amos Aschleman and boys, Jimmy and Jerry also her parents, Mr. and Mrs. George James of Hamilton and Mr. and Mrs. Edward Bowers had a very educational and pleasant time when they attended the round-up of the dealers of the Peter Eckrich meat packing Co. at Fort Wayne, Sunday. About five thousand persons viewed the plant at the northwest part of the city. Their meats and plenty of delicious food were served from 11 a.m. to 5 p. m., buffet style from the lines. A free movie was shown and there was a continuous program and entertainment by Fort Wayne radio talent.
Joseph R. Eckrich was named president of Peter Eckrich and Sons Inc., to succeed Henry C. Eckrich, at the recent directors' meeting. He had been vice-president, operations, of the Fort Wayne meat specialties firm.
Richard P. Eckrich, who had been vice-president, marketing, was re-named vice-president and also elected treasurer.
Henry Eckrich moved from the presidency to become chairman of the board of directors and will remain chief executive officer of the company.
Edward J. Baker, who had been corporation secretary and controller, was named to the newly created position of vice-president, finance, and also will continue to act as secretary.
Drive Is Launched To Build Hoosier Hall Of Fame Bldg.
By DALE BURGESS
INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — The Indiana Basketball Hall of Fame Foundation Wednesday launched a $300,000 drive to build a permanent home. It had $35,000 in the till before the public announcement.
The foundation has been set up entirely separate from the four- year-old Hall of Fame but Hoosier basketball greats to be honored are those who have been, and will be, chosen by the hall's central committee.
Building a handsome structure to honor Indiana's great players, coaches, officials and other contributors to the game has been in the works a long time.
It took a year to get approval from the Internal Revenue Service.
Nate Kaufman, Shelbyville insurance man and longtime Big Ten and high school referee, is finance chairman of the state-wide drive. He told a press conference that the first $35,000 came easily and he expected donations to exceed the goal.
Ray Johnson of Indianapolis, general chairman of the hall's central committee, said the building would be in the Indianapolis area and construction would start some time in 1967. Plans now are being drawn.
Suggested sites include the Indiana State Fairgrounds, which might require some legislation.
[ Indiana Basketball Hall of Fame is located in New Castle - the annual Silver Medal Award is presented by Peter Eckrich & Sons of Fort Wayne, Indiana to those whose lives are dedicted to basketball in Indiana.]
Donors of $1,000 or more are to be called Charter Builders and will be honored with plaques in a separate room. Gov. Roger D. Branigin was first on the list, followed by such Hoosier hardwood greats as Marion Crawley of Lafayette, Robert Menke of Hunting, burg, Vernon Huffman of Bloomington and Jewell Young of Indianapolis.
The Tucker Stone Co. of Fairland, one of the Charter Builders, also will donate a stone bust of each Hall of Fame member. There already are 20, with a maximum of 5 added each year.
Doxie Moore of Indianapolis, former pro and high school coach who is board chairman of the foundation, said it's his dream ultimately to be able to give 50 or 100 college scholarships each year to keep high school basketball stars in Indiana.
Indiana Lions Clubs have done the “leg work" on getting nominations for the hall since it was chartered by the state in 1961.
They also will help the foundation, an arrangement approved by their international officers only last week.
Peter Eckrich & Sons, Inc., Fort Wayne meat packers, have been picking up any deficits in the annual Hall of Fame selection program and the Eckrich Foundation has made a $2,500 contribution toward the building.
Tracing the Indiana hall’s history to the spark of an idea in someone’s gray matter is difficult. Indianapolis sportscasting legend Tom Carnegie said in a 2009 interview that he came up with the idea after emceeing a luncheon in March 1961 to honor the four finalists of the 1936 state tournament. The event, conducted at the Claypool Hotel and sponsored by the Lions Club, drew a large gathering and generated nostalgic enthusiasm.
“That planted the seed,” Carnegie said. Carnegie said he sought and received a $10,000 donation from the Eckrich wholesale meat company for seed money and that Eldon Campbell, general manager of the WFBM television and radio stations that employed him, allowed him time off to work on the project.
FORT WAYNE, Ind. (AP) A proposal to merge Peter Eckrich and Sons of Fort Wayne, meat specialty manufacturers, and Beatrice Foods Co, of Chicago will be submitted to stockholders of the two firms, they announced Tuesday. The 76-year-old Eckrich firm has plants in Chicago; Kalamazoo, Mich.; Elburn, Ill.: Lamoni, Iowa, and Fremont, Omaha and Wahoo, Nebr.
. . . . Peter Eckrich and Sons Inc., Fort Wayne meat specialty company, has adopted a new trademark which includes a large, orange script E above white block letters spelling the brand name . . . .
Several weeks ago 25 senior citizens took a guided tour through the Peter Eckrich & Sons Fremont plant. When Peter Eckrich was a 16- year-old boy in 1894, he came from Germany to the United States. He got a job on the railroad at Fort Wayne.
Eckrich began to make a German sausage in his home which he sold to his neighbors, friends and to the employes on the railroad where he worked. They liked the sausage. He soon had enough customers to open a store in Fort Wayne and in South Bend.
Eventually he closed his stores, and with the help of his five sons, he opened a meat processing plant in Fort Wayne. Meat processing plants and distribution centers expanded in Indiana, Ohio and Michigan.
The Fremont plant is the most modern meat processing plant in the world. This story in its beginning is much like that of Tony Szymanowski who began to make donuts and other baked goods in his home which he distributed on bicycle. Production grew so rapidly that when this community-minded Fremonter died, he and his sons had a fleet of 120 bread trucks in Ohio and Michigan. On the Eckrich tour we were impressed by sanitary condition of the plant. It processes meat for two shifts and spends the third shift in cleaning the processing machinery and the floors so that everything is spotless.
Federal inspection of meats and the plant is strict. Employes wear white coats and gloves with hair nets. When they leave the department, they remove the white coats and throw the gloves away. When they return, they don the white coats and new gloves.
The mechanical assembly lines and equipment work with continuous precision. The women who pack the slices of meat work in a temperature of 50 degrees. They dress as for winter. On mechanical lines the meat travels many feet touched only once by human hands. The women who pack the slices of meat into packages are involved in an endless and exacting routine. There is close scrutiny of quality and weight. Through windows children and adults on tours have full view of the methods of processing meat.
We were impressed by the alert, intelligent and sharp appearance of the men and women employes whether they operated electric trucks, mechanical machines or assembly lines. The corportion's concern for employes seems to have progressed along with the high quality of the meat processed and packaged. We saw no idlers. Ambition and industry is the secret of success in all ages.
"The wall was built for the workers had a mind to work." (Nehemiah 4:6)
FORT WAYNE, Ind. - The Peter Eckrich and Sons Inc. meat company will end 92 years of presence in Fort Wayne when Beatrice Companies Inc. closes the food processor's 303-employee facility.
The decison to close the lunch meat plant by March 30 came after the conglomerate decided to turn Eckrich into a national brand, Patricia Rodimer, Beatrice U.S. Foods communications director, said Wednesday.
Rumors surrounding the 54-year-old plant's future began circulating Wednesday after workers approved wage concessions totaling $4 an hour, bringing the average wage to about $13 an hour, including fringe benefits. United Press International.
His grandfather Peter Eckrich founded a meat market in Ft. Wayne in 1894. He used all 11 of his children to deliver meat on foot to customers. As the firm expanded, it became known for sausages, hot dogs and luncheon meats. Survivors include his wife, Barbara; three sons, George, Joseph and James; five daughters, Emily Wright, Ellen Heiny, Eleanor Bannigan, Louise Ostrow and Diane Pai; a brother; three sisters; and 19 grandchildren. Mass will be said at 11 a.m. Wednesday in St. John the Baptist Catholic Church in Ft. Wayne.DONALD P. ECKRICH, 72; LED BEATRICE COMPANIES, Chicago Tribune, February 18, 1997, UPDATED: August 11, 2021 at 12:38 PM CST
