Some hatchery history -- what do you think these boxes are ?

[Star Creek]

I bought some boxes from a very old farm here in the Napa Valley. They are divided boxes about 2' wide by 18" deep by 2' high have the original paint and "Mitchell Hatchery" stenciled on the sides. Each box is numbered on the short end.

I would really appreciate any and all thoughts on what these might have been used for -- and certainly if anyone has any information about the Mitchell Hatchery in Calistoga, California, I would greatly appreciate that as well !

Thanks in advance for your ideas !

 

[paneubert]

This is from an obituary.
"Roy was born in the Old Calistoga Hospital on Aug. 19, 1925 to George J. and Altha R. (Tebow) Enderlin. He grew up in Calistoga during the Great Depression and at age 8, went to work as a prune picker working alongside his father for 25¢ an hour. In the late 1930’s he worked as a part time laborer at Mitchell’s poultry hatchery on Petrified Forest Road."

 

[paneubert]

Want a book that details their feeding schedule? For sale in the UK!

https://www.abebooks.co.uk/Feeding-Schedule-Mitchell-Poultry-Ranch-Hatchery/8832693117/bd

 

[paneubert]

It is a winery now (not surprised).

"The Mangis place was on the Petrified Forest Road, west of Calistoga. Their property was adjacent to the old Mitchell hatchery, which is now the Graeser Winery."

 

[paneubert]

Hmmmmm..

http://www.graeserwinery.com/about-us.html

"Richard Graeser left his farming operation in the Imperial Valley in 1983 and arrived in Napa Valley the following year to help his mother manage her financial affairs at his family’s Calistoga vacation home. Richard’s father had recently passed away and the 40-acre property his parents had enjoyed for twenty-five years was becoming too difficult for his mother to manage."

Sounds good.....but then.....tragedy!

"Despite the fact Richard lacked the minimum one million dollars that conventional wisdom dictated was necessary to start any small winery, he continued to produce award-winning, French Bordeaux-style wines for the next 20 years. Throughout those two decades, however, Richard never completely gained solid financial footing with his business, and the economic downturn of 2008-2009 put Graeser Winery into bankruptcy."

He is still around though. I wonder if you contact him if he would have any history about how his parents bought the farm.

Here is his contact form.

http://www.graeserwinery.com/contact-me.html

 

[paneubert]

Doing the math, that winery post is claiming his parents bought it in the mid 50's. So it might have been the hatchery right up till then.

 

[Star Creek]

This is from an obituary.
"Roy was born in the Old Calistoga Hospital on Aug. 19, 1925 to George J. and Altha R. (Tebow) Enderlin. He grew up in Calistoga during the Great Depression and at age 8, went to work as a prune picker working alongside his father for 25¢ an hour. In the late 1930’s he worked as a part time laborer at Mitchell’s poultry hatchery on Petrified Forest Road."

That's the location of where I bought these ! Awesome.

 

[Star Creek]

Doing the math, that winery post is claiming his parents bought it in the mid 50's. So it might have been the hatchery right up till then.

A million thanks.

Want a book that details their feeding schedule? For sale in the UK!

https://www.abebooks.co.uk/Feeding-Schedule-Mitchell-Poultry-Ranch-Hatchery/8832693117/bd

I am trying to get this. You are amazing.

 

[Star Creek]

This is from an obituary.
"Roy was born in the Old Calistoga Hospital on Aug. 19, 1925 to George J. and Altha R. (Tebow) Enderlin. He grew up in Calistoga during the Great Depression and at age 8, went to work as a prune picker working alongside his father for 25¢ an hour. In the late 1930’s he worked as a part time laborer at Mitchell’s poultry hatchery on Petrified Forest Road."

For anyone who is interested -- prior to becoming the wine "mecca" it is now, the Napa Valley's predominant crops were hops and prunes.

 

[Star Creek]

I bought some boxes from a very old farm here in the Napa Valley. They are divided boxes about 2' wide by 18" deep by 2' high have the original paint and "Mitchell Hatchery" stenciled on the sides. Each box is numbered on the short end.

I would really appreciate any and all thoughts on what these might have been used for -- and certainly if anyone has any information about the Mitchell Hatchery in Calistoga, California, I would greatly appreciate that as well !

Thanks in advance for your ideas !

View attachment 1578358 View attachment 1578359

Anyone's guess as to what these boxes were used for -- eggs with egg flat protectors, maybe ?