Healthy Wheat Products in Lockport and Niagara Falls, New York
A continuing look at health care and products in the late 18th and early 19th Century in the Niagara Region. As traditional medical care of the time could not be relied on for reliable treatment people turned to the heavily marketed healthy foods to cure their ills. Wheat based products promised to cure nervousness, indigestion, a sullen disposition, and many other ills…
Franklin Mills Wheat Flour and Wheatlet
731 Garden Street, Lockport, New York
The south bank of the canal beside the locks was home to many factories that utilized the powerful mill races to produce their products.
Franklin Mills Wheatlet advertising on the Old Spaulding Mills Storage Building. Erie Canal, Lockport, New York. Files J Boles.
With a large painted Wheatlet sign on the side of a building, the Franklin Mills Company stood out to those traveling on the canal. It is also visible on the many period postcards of the locks at Lockport, New York. The business address of the company was 731 Spring Street, corner of Garden Street.
731 Spring Street. Franklin Mill Company, Lockport, New York. There were six floors in the factory.
Lockport Public Library History Room—Folder Lockport Industries, Flour
This is a distance from the canal and the mill race that was on the south bank. How did the mill receive waterpower? I reached out to an expert on the canal mill races, Dr. Scott Geise. From Geise’s records, the Franklin Mills factory received power from both the south mill race on the canal and 18 Mile Creek. At the time of the mills operation the mill race left the canal bank and ran southeast crossing under Market Street and continued to Garden Street and the Franklin Mills factory on Garden Street. This research indicates that the remains of the 1833 building can now be found at 31 Exchange Street.
The Franklin Mills Company had many health declarations for their main products, Wheatlet—a breakfast food, and the Franklin Mills Flour.
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Wheatlet was described as an unrefined/unbleached natural food with promises for relief of nervousness, indigestion, irritability, a morose disposition (depressed), and help with “clever” work, such as writing.
Franklin Wheat Flour claimed to be “The fine flower of the entire wheat” and a brain food. It would help every nerve tissue, feed the nerves and the nervous and debilitated would be assisted.
The US government Commissary Department was a customer of the Franklin Mill Co., and their ads highlight this endorsement. Files J Boles
The Franklin Mills building dates back to 1833 and was once owned by the Governor Washington Hunt family. The Franklin Mills Company occupied the building from 1877 to 1907 when the structure was destroyed in a November 4th fire. After the fire, the company was reorganized and consolidated their operations to Batavia, New York.
Today what remains of the Franklin Mills building can be found at 31 Exchange Street. The center stone section has a stone block at the top dated 1833. The building is now used by Elegant Surfaces, manufacturer of MDF(medium density fiber) cabinet doors. J Boles
Thank you to the Niagara County Historical Society, Niagara County Historians Office, the Lockport Public Library, Dr. Scott Geise, Kyle Condren from Elegant Surfaces, and Lockport realtor Maureen Walck.
Our Healthy Wheat
The Natural Food Conservatory (The Shredded Wheat Company) Niagara Falls, New York
In 1901, because of the inexpensive electric power and the powerful image of Niagara Falls as a force of nature, the Natural Food Conservatory moved its operations to Niagara Falls. The factory was known as the Palace of Light with white tile, bright lights, and many amenities for workers. It was built overlooking the rapids of the Niagara River.
The company was a progressive employer with a free hot lunch, rest breaks, air conditioners, showers, and a health and welfare fund that covered sickness, injury, and burial expenses.
Ladies Lunch Room at the Natural Food Conservatory. Files J Boles
The name was changed to the Shredded Wheat Company in 1908. Although the company had many factories, the Niagara Falls building was very well known because of its promotion as a tourist attraction, with thousands of visitors per year.
The early history of the company goes back to 1895 in Worcester, Massachusetts. Known as the Cereal Machine Company, the products sold were Granulated Wheat-Shred, Wheat-Shred Drink, Shredded Cereal Coffee, Wheat-Shred Baby Food, and Shredding Machines.
The “Palace of Light” with the natural image of Niagara Falls. Files J Boles
In Niagara Falls the main products were Shredded Whole Wheat Biscuit and Triscuit.
The list of health benefits for Shredded Wheat and Triscuits included:
- Promotes an active brain
- Use as a “spring tonic”
- Builds muscles and bone
- Builds strength
- An entirely healthy body
A 1903 Ad from Current Literature, August.
In 1963 parts of the “Palace of Light” on Buffalo Avenue were demolished. For a time, the remaining office building was used by Niagara County Community College as a college office and classrooms. The building was demolished in 1976.
Old Shredded Wheat building at 430 Buffalo Avenue, Niagara Falls, NY. Also known as “Nabisco U” or “Shredded U” because it was used by Niagara County Community College in the 1960s and 1970s. Files J Boles