River Division Watermelon Traffic

Discussion in 'General' started by klrwhizkid, Sep 9, 2020.

  1. klrwhizkid

    klrwhizkid Administrator Staff Member Administrator Frisco.org Supporter

    From Richard Crabtree on Frisco Rails Across Missouri:
    Watermelon season was big business on the Frisco Lines. Although they would receive watermelons from Arkansas and Oklahoma, Missouri would reign supreme in its watermelon shipments. In 1925, they had 1413 railcars dedicated to shipping watermelon. The top three cities receiving railcars to ship watermelon during the 1925 season were, Kennett ~300, Frisbee ~ 150 and Morley 150.
    Frank Bagbee:
    They used to ship them out of Bertrand and Charleston to Chaffee, where they were iced up and moved on to St. Louis, Chicago, etc. Interestingly, growers have gotten away from growing such big watermelons because they don't fit into refrigerators.
    Watermelon harvest in the Bootheel.jpg
     
  2. Those are huge!
     
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  3. klrwhizkid

    klrwhizkid Administrator Staff Member Administrator Frisco.org Supporter

    The sandy/loamy soil in Southeast Missouri was especially good for melons. I remember taking weekend day trips from Cape into the area to the east of Benton and around Blodgett and Bertrand so my dad could pick up some cheap watermelons.
     
  4. gbnf

    gbnf Member

    Love that photo. Thank you! - George
     
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  5. Jim James

    Jim James Staff Member Staff Member

    So, Keith, you must know about those horrible sand burrs!
     
  6. klrwhizkid

    klrwhizkid Administrator Staff Member Administrator Frisco.org Supporter

    I am familiar.
     
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  7. Friscotony

    Friscotony Member

    there was a very interesting man in Enid. I don't know his name, but everyone called him "watermelon" because as the story I have heard was that he grew them and took them to the depot in the back of his pick up. He let them sit out and anyone who wanted just picked one and went on his way. Most of the china, silver on display at the museum are his.

    Tony LaLumia
     
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  8. yardmaster

    yardmaster Administrator Staff Member Administrator Frisco.org Supporter

    Note the use of what I’m going to say was a stock car for transporting the melons. For railroads who didn’t roster SAL-type ventilated boxcars, I’ve heard of stock cars being multipurposed.

    I think they still grew them that big when I was a kid. Put them in a cold creek to chill them on a hot day.

    My great-great grandparents lived in Morley adjacent to the Iron Mountain/MoP line that ran to Charleston. That’s how my Great Grandpa Harry met his bride to be, when he and his brother started farming cotton near Brooks Jct.
     
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