Library & Archives, Senator John Heinz History Center
In the early 1870s, the H.J. Heinz Co. operated out of a two-story Sharpsburg farmhouse along the northern edge of Pittsburgh. They delivered their products by horse-drawn wagons.
Henry J. Heinz was born in Pittsburgh in 1844, of German ancestry. He began his life-long food business career -- not with pickles or ketchup -- it was with horseradish.
Heinz was still a boy when he began bottling and selling "Heinz Horse Radish" using a keystone-shaped label representing the Keystone State of Pennsylvania.
Henry J. Heinz on Horseback
Credit: Historical Society of Western Pennsylvania
In 1869 Heinz got married, and partnered in business with L.C. Noble. They bottled Anchor Brand food products at the Heinz homestead, which became their headquarters. Their quick growth of establishing branches in Chicago and St. Louis caused Heinz and Noble to go bankrupt in 1875. In 1876, Henry and two of his brothers "got back on the horse" and started all over again as F. & J. Heinz Company, getting their head-above-water financially in 1879.
In 1888 the company changed its name to H. J. Heinz Company and moved forward in building their "Heinz Complex" in Allegheny City, Pennsylvania. During this time, H. J. Heinz Company produced chili sauce, mincemeat, baked beans, tomato sauce, macaroni and
spaghetti with cheese, fruit butters, piccalilli, currant jelly, cherry and pineapple preserves, Worcestershire sauce, mustard dressing and other preparations. Presently, the Heinz Company manufactures thousands of food products in plants on six continents, and markets these products in more than 200 countries and territories.
The company has used its "57 Varieties" slogan since 1896, even though there were already at 60 products at that time.
The Heinz Company's distribution was well-known and recognized due to its elegance of delivery service. The horses were pure black Percherons, bred originally as warhorses rather than draft horses. The horse-drawn delivery wagon was usually painted white with green trimmings, carrying boxes of Heinz products.
Delivering Pickling Barrels, Pittsburgh, PA (1888)
Photo: From E. Willard Miller, Keystone to Progress, An Illustrated History
Windsor Publications (1986)
The quality of the horses was demanded in that the company's name was associated with the presentation of the delivery years ago, and then again in its exhibition hitch of recent years.
Heinz Hitch Postcard (1989)
The horses needed to be well taken care of, happy, well-shod and clean, bringing recognition to the brand name. Heinz demanded that his horses maintained a certain conformity in weight, size, type and color, and they were housed in his stables which were known as their "equine palaces."
H. J. Heinz Company had over 150 teams of Percherons operating out of its Allegheny City facilities. From 1894, Heinz Company shipped vinegar and pickles by means of rail.
Heinz was one of the first industrial employers of women who worked in a spotless factory. Their physical and moral welfare was carefully guarded, as "The Heinz Girls" had their medical and dental bills covered by the company.
Labeling Machine (1901)
Photo: Historical Society of Western Pennsylvania
Library & Archives, Senator John Heinz History Center
The Heinz Hitch was used for marketing and was seen in parades around the United States and Canada from 1984 (debuting at the Pittsburgh Labor Day Parade). Dalmatians (one was appropriately named "H.J." back in 2002) and "Susan Pickles," a bleary-eyed Basset Hound, accompanied the hitch throughout the exhibition years. The harness was handcrafted by the Amish in Central Ohio in patent leather with all chrome hardware and fittings, weighing approximately 74 pounds each set. Unfortunately, the company's officials announced in May 2007 that they could not keep spending $500,000 annually on a program whose marketing impact was difficult to measure.
"The decision to cease funding of the hitch was one that Heinz wrestled with for a number of years." With that, the company notified John Dryer (whose family owned the hitch operation and stabled the horses on its Washington County farm) and the sponsorship ended. Heinz agreed to fund the appearances already agreed to and on the books for 2007.
John Dryer
"Nothing lasts forever in this age." "I've been all over the world with the hitch, but my wife hasn't. It might be time to show her some of it."
Mr. Dryer worked for Heinz for 32 years, retiring in 1992 from his position as General Manager of Research and Product Quality Assurance.
Click and watch the Heinz Hitch exhibition at
Spruce Meadows in Alberta in 2003
Heinz History Center
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
The Heinz hitch wagon is a 6,800 pound antique Studebaker that traveled 57,000 miles a year over two decades promoting the Pittsburgh condiment-maker's products. The wagon was found uncovered in a roofless shed in central Pennsylvania in 1978 with a tree growing up through its bed. Built in Indiana in the 1850s, shipped to the east coast by rail, this same wagon hauled Heinz products around Philadelphia at the turn of the last century. Heinz purchased it in 1986, and two years later, spent $22,000 to have it refurbished by expert craftsmen. It took more than six months and 19 coats of paint on the initial refurbishment, and received only one more complete face lift in 1998. This heavy-duty hitch wagon served as the "tandem" trailer trucks of their time. Its home is now in The Senator John Heinz History Center, an affiliate of the Smithsonian Institution, and the largest history museum in Pennsylvania. The H. J. Heinz hitch "wowed" the crowds through the years at five Rose Bowl parades, the Calgary Stampede, and countless county fairs, exhibitions, Fourth of July and other holiday parades.
Horse Drawn Caisson at Arlington Cemetery
Passing Christmas Wreaths
Photo: Don Harper
In August of 2007, The H.J. Heinz Company formally announced that it would donate its hitch horses to the 3rd U.S. Infantry Regiment (The Old Guard) where they were used to pay homage to fallen soldiers (and former Presidents and other statesmen) at Arlington National Cemetery. This ensured that the horses would be well cared for throughout their lifetime as they participated in some of the eight full-honor military funerals per day in Arlington while living at Fort Myer, adjacent to the cemetery.
Fort Myer, Virginia traces its origin as a military post to the Civil War. In 1887, Gen. Philip H. Sheridan, the Army's commanding general, decided Fort Myer should become the nation's cavalry showplace. The cavalrymen moved in, including the 3rd Cavalry Regiment, supported by the 16th Field Artillery Regiment, and the communications people moved out. Fort Myer became home to as many as 1500 horses from 1887 to 1949, and horse care was of utmost importance then and now.
All of the horses at Fort Myer have a full-time dedicated caretaker and veterinarian, and more than 40 other horses for company. Those other horses in the stable have various honor duties, including taking part in therapeutic riding programs for injured military personnel.
In February 2013, the Heinz Company was eventually sold to Warren Buffet's Birkshire Hathaway and 3G Capital for $23 billion dollars. Other product lines that you might recognize and might not know are Heinz products include: HP Sauce, Lea and Perrin's sauce, Ore-Ida and Tater Tots potato products, TGI Friday's, Weight Watchers, and several others brands.
On an interesting note: For many years, Heinz supplied McDonald's with ketchup. In October 2013, McDonald's ceased this relationship after 40 years, and decided to transition business to other suppliers. This was due to the then-recent management changes where 3G Capital (part-owner of Burger King) / Heinz hired the former Burger King CEO, Bernardo Hees, as president of Heinz. However, many McDonald's locations overseas still use Heinz Ketchup.
"To do a common thing uncommonly well brings success." ~ H.J. Heinz
A motto to strive to live by, here at Eaglesfield Percherons.
Making beds - the comfort of the dogs comes first.
Bunking in at Slaven's Roadhouse.
Fellers' Family Gold
The first musher to arrive at the Shaw Direct Dawson City check-point, who also finishes the race, will receive the coveted four ounces of pure gold provided by the Fellers' Family.
Former Albertan for 23 years, Bernie Mitchell has been creating beautiful 3-D drywall reliefs since the early 1990s using drywall joint compound, or "mud." As a contract drywall finisher, he began experimenting with raised panels on wall surfaces where natural light played upon his everlasting designs. He began using materials such as wheat and barley stalks in wet joint compound, and carved large pictorials in leather.
Photo: ArtistDrywallbyBernieMitchell
Mitchell prefers to use birds as his main subject matter -- blue heron, osprey and loons -- but also enjoys sculpting horses, wolves and dogs. Of course, the horses caught our eye. Mitchell now lives across the continent on Pigeon Lake in Ontario. Click on the video below to get the behind-the-scenes look at how his sculptures come to life.
See more of Bernie Mitchell's work on his website, click HERE.
Go Brent Sass! Go Team Wild & Free!
Photo: Julien Schroder
It is time, once again, for the Yukon Quest which is celebrating its 32nd year. The Quest is a 1,000-mile international sled dog race along an old Gold Rush trail in North America, named from the "highway of the north." This trek travels what was once known as the Klondike Highway, the route that sled dogs used to deliver mail during the age of the Gold Rush. Besides transporting the mail, prospectors, adventurers and supply carriers traveled between the gold fields of the Klondike and those in the Alaska interior.
The Quest's route is considered tougher than the
Super Bowl of sled dog races, the Iditarod.
In 1983, four mushers were sitting in the Bull's Eye Saloon in Fairbanks, talking about sled dog racing and the what-ifs of it following a historical trail. In 1984, twenty-six teams left Fairbanks and over sixteen days, twenty teams arrived in Whitehorse. Sonny Lindner became the first champion, completing the race in just over twelve days.
The Quest alternates start locations each year. This morning, sunny, balmy Fairbanks hosted the start of the 2016 Quest run festivities . . .
Defending Champion, Brent Sass of Eureka leaves the chute behind the Morris Thompson Center
Photo: Casey Grove, Newsminer.com
. . . while winning celebrations are set to take place in Whitehorse, Yukon.
Whitehorse, Yukon
Photo: Julien Schroder
Our favorite mushing team leader is Brent Sass, who drew position 9 this year. He is the reigning champion, and is hoping for the Vet's Choice Award.
Celia sits calmly, dusted with snow before the start
Photo: Casey Grove, Newsminer.com
Painstaking preparations have been made by many for this race. The Yukon Quest Food Drop occurred days before this start. Each musher must decide what supplies will be waiting for them along the trail. Weeks of sorting dog food, winter gear and equipment are bundled up in 40 pound mesh bags, and dropped off at Summit Logistics in South Fairbanks. From there, the bags are scattered at checkpoints throughout the race course, offering fresh batches of supplies as the mushers arrive.
The trails are clear (thanks to the Canadian Rangers)
and the dogs are ready.
Photo: Wild & Free Mushing
Krypton and Sluice
Photo: Wild & Free Mushing
The sled dogs are the heart and soul of the Quest, bred from stock that survived and thrived during the Gold Rush era. No animal on earth can match them for endurance, dedication and ability to perform in the extreme conditions of the North. Vets examine each dog at least six times from pre-race to the finish line. In addition checkpoints provide vets to monitor each dog's well-being throughout the race, with removal from the competition if necessary.
In the draft horse world, we know "no foot - no horse." The same goes in the sled dog world.
Brent Sass's working team players this year were decided this morning: Celia, Cat, Chica, Bato, Insley, Copper, Sasha, Carbon, Sluice, Neon, Braeburn, Krypton and Merc. The Alaskan Huskies are a type of mixed breed that is the preferred racing dog choice.
Sass is a fan favorite due to his willingness to assist other mushers at times of need, despite losing time for a potential win. If a musher receives outside assistance during the run, they will be automatically disqualified; however, mushers can help other mushers. In 2014, Brent had to withdraw from the Quest after falling asleep, tumbling from his sled and hitting his head on the surface of a frozen lake 100 miles from the finish line. Last year, he took precautions against another concussion and wore a helmet and won.
Dawson City is a mandatory 24-hour layover at the half-way point. We'll be cheering the mushers on and look for Brent to hopefully carry on as reigning champion. In the past, the purse was about 15,000 Pounds Sterling / 20,000 Euros / $22,674 USD, which hardly covers the costs incurred. But as we know in the draft horse world, we don't compete for the money either.
Keep up with the Sass adventure on his Facebook page:
Terrific video of the highlights of the 2013 Yukon Quest
Basin
Photo: Wild & Free Mushing
This year's effort will be a tribute to Golden Harness winner, Basin, who has passed on, but will never be forgotten. He was the team captain in the 2015 Yukon Quest win, and Brent's best friend. Click on Basin's photos to see where Brent Sass's Wild and Free team is, right now, via live tracking!
