New in the collection: Kinston crate label

Label that reads "Fresh Kinoca" for Kinston Produce Marketing Company

Kinston Produce Marketing Co. obviously covered a lot of ground, but this label likely was meant for a vegetable crate.

Thanks to Richard Garafolo, director of the Learning Resources Center at Lenoir Community College, for tracking the etymology of Kinoca: “I have talked with several members of a group that meets in our Heritage Place genealogy center.  They believe this is an acronym – ‘Ki’ for Kinston, ‘no’ for North and ‘ca’ for Carolina.”

New in the collection: Winston Eagle racing pinback

Pinback featuring illustration of Winston Eagle hydroplane and the line "Now You're Smokin"

“NASCAR was its showpiece property, but [RJR] underwrote 55 other events and sports teams: Camel Biker Rallies, Camel Smokin’ Joe’s [previously Winston Eagle] hydroplane, Vantage golf championships, Salem ProSail, RJ Gold Bass Tournaments, Doral Skiing and more.

“Says H.A. ‘Humpy’ Wheeler, president of Charlotte’s Lowe’s Motor Speedway, ‘When they write the history of marketing in the 20th century, R.J. Reynolds will be looked at as one of the most prolific marketing entities Western civilization ever had. They’ll be held up like Thomas Edison’s light bulb.’ ”

— From “The last beauty standing” by Liz Clarke in the Washington Post (Nov. 16, 2003)

 

New in the collection: Carolina Biological Supply blotter

Ink blotter with words Carolina cultures and showing images of microscopic organisms

“While teaching at Elon and working towards the doctorate at Duke, Powell perceived the need for a biological supply house that could provide schools and colleges with their laboratory specimens. At the time, only two other businesses in the United States supplied specimens for classroom use — teachers were expected to collect their own protozoan, frogs, and animal skeletons.

“Powell began his business on a part-time basis in 1927 in a woodshed beside a pond at Elon College. Nine years later he resigned his teaching position to devote full time to management of the growing company.”

— From Thomas Edward Powell Jr.’s entry (1994)  by George W. Troxler in the Dictionary of North Carolina Biography

This ink blotter promotes the company as “a dependable culture service.”

New in the collection: La Grange ‘Garden Spot’ tag

LaGrange, NC license tag

“[Oscar Herring of the La Grange Chamber of Commerce] said it is believed La Grange got its [nickname] from an African-American train porter.

” ‘As the story goes, every time the train would roll into town, this porter would call out “La Grange, La Grange — The Garden Spot.” ‘

“Herring said several families have claimed to be related to the porter in question. ‘It starts too much trouble to try and narrow it down to one family,’ he said.”

— From “Festival to honor those who served” by Jon Dawson in the Kinston Free Press (Sept. 9, 2010)
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