Orange Historical Society
Orange, Connecticut
History of Orange
The Clark and Woodruff names put Orange seeds on the map...
One
of
the
important
business
ventures
that
was
part
of
the
Town
of
Orange
in
the
19th
century
was
the
growing
of
seeds
for
the
wholesale
market.
The
Clark
and
Woodruff
families
each
contributed
to
this
industry,
not
only
from
their
own
fields
but
contracting
with
local farmers as well.
E.B. Clark Seed Co... Later to become Asgrow
Everett B. Clark
Early
in
the
1860's
a
Mr
Hodge
of
Derby
sold
his
seed
growing
business
to
two
brothers,
Enoch
and
Bryan
Clark.
By
1864,
Bryan's
son
Everett
enlarged
the
scope
of
the
business
and
moved
the
headquarters
to
Milford.
As
a
family
business,
it
grew
and
merged
with
the
Frank
H.
Woodruff
Seed
Company
whose
growing
fields
were
along
the
Boston
Post
Road
where
the
Westfield
Mall
is
today.
Other
producers
joined,
with the group called themselves the Associated Seed Growers and setting up offices in New Haven.
From these very small beginnings, Asgrow emerged as an internationally known grower of seeds and today is a subsidiary of Monsanto.
Left:
Homestead
and
seed
barns
of
Everett
B.
Clark,
Orange;
Center:
Clark
seed
barn,
374
Grassy
Hill
Rd.;
Right:
Asgrow
Commercial
Grower Division, Milford, in 1956.
Asgrow dedicated rail car, tractor trailer, and Vigorpak seed products.
F.H. Woodruff seed display case at The Academy Museum, ad logo, and 'dippers' to scoop seeds from bins.
S.D. Woodruff & Sons
Stiles D. Woodruff
After
his
return
from
the
Civil
War,
Stiles
bought
the
Lyman
Treat
farm
and
by
1890
his
two
sons,
Frank
and
Watson
were
brought
into
the
business.
Then
known
as
S.D.
Woodruff
&
Sons,
they
opened
a
branch
in
New
York City. The operation was eventually purchased by the Hart Seed Company .
S.D.
Woodruff
&
Sons
was
well-known
for
developing
seeds
for
vegetables
as
well
as
for
lawns,
improving
the
quality and durability of grass for a variety of home and recreational needs.
Left: S.D. Woodruff & Sons Tuf Turf advertising card; Middle: Country Gentleman Sweet Corn, introduced in 1890; Right: Letterhead from 1918.
TylerCityStation Collection
Left:
Looking
east
across
Orange
Center
Rd.
in
1927
-
area
today
is
a
shopping
center
-
the
side
of
the
Woodruff
warehouse
can
be
seen
to
the
right
of
the
railroad
station;
Middle:
Warehouse,
viewed
from
Orange
Center
Rd,
later
also
housed
post
office.
Right:
Woodruff
residence and seed barn on Old Grassy Hill Rd., as seen from Ridge Rd.
Bryan Andrew
History of Orange
The
Clark
and
Woodruff
names
put
Orange
seeds on the map...
One
of
the
important
business
ventures
that
was
part
of
the
Town
of
Orange
in
the
19th
century
was
the
growing
of
seeds
for
the
wholesale
market.
The
Clark
and
Woodruff
families
each
contributed
to
this
industry,
not
only
from
their
own fields but contracting with local farmers as well.
E.B. Clark Seed Co... Later to become Asgrow
Everett B. Clark
Early
in
the
1860's
a
Mr
Hodge
of
Derby
sold
his
seed
growing
business
to
two
brothers,
Enoch
and
Bryan
Clark.
By
1864,
Bryan's
son
Everett
enlarged
the
scope
of
the
business
and
moved
the
headquarters
to
Milford.
As
a
family
business,
it
grew
and
merged
with
the
Frank
H.
Woodruff
Seed
Company
whose
growing
fields
were
along
the
Boston
Post
Road
where
the
Westfield
Mall
is
today.
Other
producers
joined,
with
the
group
called
themselves
the
Associated
Seed
Growers
and
setting
up
offices
in
New Haven.
From
these
very
small
beginnings,
Asgrow
emerged
as
an
internationally
known
grower
of
seeds
and
today is a subsidiary of Monsanto.
Left:
Homestead
and
seed
barns
of
Everett
B.
Clark,
Orange;
Center:
Clark
seed
barn,
374
Grassy
Hill
Rd.;
Right:
Asgrow
Commercial Grower Division, Milford, in 1956.
Asgrow
dedicated
rail
car,
tractor
trailer,
and
Vigorpak seed products.
F.H.
Woodruff
seed
display
case
at
The
Academy
Museum,
ad
logo,
and
'dippers'
to
scoop
seeds
from
bins.
S.D. Woodruff & Sons
Stiles D. Woodruff
After
his
return
from
the
Civil
War,
Stiles
bought
the
Lyman
Treat
farm
and
by
1890
his
two
sons,
Frank
and
Watson
were
brought
into
the
business.
Then
known
as
S.D.
Woodruff
&
Sons,
they
opened
a
branch
in
New
York
City.
The
operation
was
eventually purchased by the Hart Seed Company .
S.D.
Woodruff
&
Sons
was
well-known
for
developing
seeds
for
vegetables
as
well
as
for
lawns,
improving
the
quality
and
durability
of
grass
for
a
variety of home and recreational needs.
Left:
S.D.
Woodruff
&
Sons
Tuf
Turf
advertising
card;
Middle:
Country
Gentleman
Sweet
Corn,
introduced
in 1890; Right: Letterhead from 1918.
TylerCityStation Collection
Left:
Looking
east
across
Orange
Center
Rd.
in
1927
-
area
today
is
a
shopping
center
-
the
side
of
the
Woodruff
warehouse
can
be
seen
to
the
right
of
the
railroad
station;
Middle:
Warehouse,
viewed
from
Orange
Center
Rd,
later
also
housed
post
office.
Right:
Woodruff
residence
and
seed
barn
on
Old
Grassy Hill Rd., as seen from Ridge Rd.
Orange Historical Society
Orange, Connecticut
Orange Historical Society
Orange, Connecticut
Bryan Andrew
