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Indian Packing Company
The Indian Packing Company was an American canned meat company that operated between 1919 and 1921. It was founded in Delaware and had various facilities across the country, including Green Bay, Wisconsin. It was purchased by the Acme Packing Company, which shut down in 1943 due to supply shortages related to World War II. The company is notable due to its connection to the Green Bay Packers of the National Football League (NFL). Curly Lambeau, one of the co-founders of the Packers, worked as a shipping clerk in 1919 for the Indian Packing Company. In return for use of the company's athletic field and money for sports equipment, the team took on the name "Packers". Although the company quickly faded from the picture, its name stuck and is still in use today. HistoryThe Indian Packing Company was formed in Delaware and legally organized on July 22, 1919.[1] Earlier that year, a patent for "Council Meats, A Market on Your Pantry Shelf" was granted to the company.[2] Indian Packing developed multiple packing plants in Wisconsin, Indiana and Rhode Island.[3] The plants were known to be modern for that era.[1] The compant was well-known for its Council Meats brand, which was well-advertised.[1][4] Merger with Acme PackingIn December 1920, it was announced that the Acme Packing Company acquired all of the assets of the Indian Packing Company, subject to approval by the shareholders of the Indian Packing Company. At the time, no additional details were provided by Peck, although an audit of financial records was ongoing.[5] The merger of the two firms was finalized in January 1921, with Acme Packing Company being valued at $12 million ($205 million in 2023).[6] Acme's president, C. E. Martin, took over as the president of the merged company, with the expectation that the merger would save a significant amount of money. Almost the entirety of the Indian Packing Company retired at the merger.[1] In 1943, during World War II, Acme Packing Company closed, as did many other meat packing companies.[7] Green Bay Packers In 1919, Curly Lambeau and George Whitney Calhoun worked together to form a local football team in Green Bay, Wisconsin. Lambeau, who had recently started a job as a shipping clerk for the Indian Packing Company, reached out to his employer, frank Peck, for funding to support the new team.[8][9] The company put up funding to purchase equipment and allowed the team to use a field next to the packing plant for practices.[10] The team entered the American Professional Football Association, the precursor to the National Football League (NFL), in 1920, with John and Emmett Clair of the Acme Packing Company (which was now in control after the merger with Indian Packing) being granted the franchise.[10] Acme lost the franchise after the team fielded collegiate players under assumed names. Lambeau saved up enough money to have the franchise reinstated under his control.[11] With their meat packing roos, the team became known as the "Packers". Even though other nicknames, such as the Bays, the Indians, and the Blues, were used, the "Packers" ended up sticking.[12] Frank Jonet, who served as the secretary-treasurer of the Packers for many years, worked for Acme Packing prior to his association with the Packers.[13] In 2000, PETA called for the Packers to change their name due to its association with the packaging and consumption of meat.[14] The historic meat packing plants are now identified as part of the Packers Heritage Trail.[15] References
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