Knight shoe company. Phil’s grandfather? ( Just kidding)
June 2019
“Mr. Knight, who was born in Des Moines IA, in 1884, made his first home in the northwest in Tacoma, Wash., where he operated a shingle mill. In 1899 he moved to Portland, bought a vinegar company, and reorganized it as the Knight Packing company, of which he was president and manager until his retirement in 1936. From 1925 until his death, he served Pacific University as a trustee.”
Article on FLK Park. https://cyclotram.blogspot.com/2006/08/frank-l-knight-park-expedition.html
Off to the left there it looks like there was also Knight Catsup. Quite a diverse line of products.
Catsup, too. (See far left.)
Pickles, vinegar, and ketchup all make sense. Maybe H.J. Heinz ran out of pages for shoes in his 57 page catalog?
My Mom collected those old glass insulators. I saved a few of the beautiful blue glass ones. As well as some of the brown ceramic ones. They make good paperweights for anyone that still uses paper. . . . . . .
is it my imagination or is the street covered with water?
Knight Packing Company made catsup at a new factory that was built in Medford Oregon.
Oregonian August 1, 1916 p. 8
New Catsup Factory Ready at Medford.—Portland Company has Plant With Daily Capacity of 15 Tons–Will Make Apple Butter.
Medford Or. Aug. 1–The Knight Packing company of Portland, with offices in Medford, Cornelius and Dayton, this state, has practically completed the installation of a catsup and apple butter factory in this city, with a capacity of 15 tons daily of the tomato catsup output and an apple butter.
A few of the products made by by Knight’s
Rogue River Catsup–Tomato Juice-Pickles-Vinegar-India sweet relish
When Frank Knight died in March of 1945 news stories refer to him as the Chief of Knight Packing, even thought he was said to have retired in 1936. Frank Knight’s wife died in 1937, and his estate was valued at $733,350.00 (about $12.25 million today) with 19 beneficiaries, but the estate makes no mention of the Packing company, the brand seems to vanish from newspaper ads after his death.
At the time, this would have been across the street from Grand Central Market (& later Grand Central Bowl)
I have a couple of their bottles. I’m always watching e-bay for that Rouge river ketchup.
The VP photo on September 21, 2018 has a photo of three ladies working at Knight Shoe Co.
A comment left by Islander on this photo found a news story about the death of Mrs. GF Knight, and shows that she is survived by her sons William & Warren Knight owners of Knight Shoe co, and her son Frank L Knight the owner of Knight Packing Co.
Vintage Portland 
Pickles and shoes. Interesting combo.
Ah, the traditional cobbler and preserved vegetable outfit.
Love the “sole agents” line.
Don’t forget Vinegar
I wrote about this place in a Twitter thread after it burned in 2021. https://twitter.com/pdxhistorian/status/1441440251424034825
Knight shoe company. Phil’s grandfather? ( Just kidding)
June 2019
“Mr. Knight, who was born in Des Moines IA, in 1884, made his first home in the northwest in Tacoma, Wash., where he operated a shingle mill. In 1899 he moved to Portland, bought a vinegar company, and reorganized it as the Knight Packing company, of which he was president and manager until his retirement in 1936. From 1925 until his death, he served Pacific University as a trustee.”
Article on FLK Park.
https://cyclotram.blogspot.com/2006/08/frank-l-knight-park-expedition.html
Off to the left there it looks like there was also Knight Catsup. Quite a diverse line of products.
Catsup, too. (See far left.)
Pickles, vinegar, and ketchup all make sense. Maybe H.J. Heinz ran out of pages for shoes in his 57 page catalog?
My Mom collected those old glass insulators. I saved a few of the beautiful blue glass ones. As well as some of the brown ceramic ones. They make good paperweights for anyone that still uses paper. . . . . . .
is it my imagination or is the street covered with water?
Knight Packing Company made catsup at a new factory that was built in Medford Oregon.
Oregonian August 1, 1916 p. 8
New Catsup Factory Ready at Medford.—Portland Company has Plant With Daily Capacity of 15 Tons–Will Make Apple Butter.
Medford Or. Aug. 1–The Knight Packing company of Portland, with offices in Medford, Cornelius and Dayton, this state, has practically completed the installation of a catsup and apple butter factory in this city, with a capacity of 15 tons daily of the tomato catsup output and an apple butter.
A few of the products made by by Knight’s
Rogue River Catsup–Tomato Juice-Pickles-Vinegar-India sweet relish
When Frank Knight died in March of 1945 news stories refer to him as the Chief of Knight Packing, even thought he was said to have retired in 1936. Frank Knight’s wife died in 1937, and his estate was valued at $733,350.00 (about $12.25 million today) with 19 beneficiaries, but the estate makes no mention of the Packing company, the brand seems to vanish from newspaper ads after his death.
At the time, this would have been across the street from Grand Central Market (& later Grand Central Bowl)
I have a couple of their bottles. I’m always watching e-bay for that Rouge river ketchup.
The VP photo on September 21, 2018 has a photo of three ladies working at Knight Shoe Co.
A comment left by Islander on this photo found a news story about the death of Mrs. GF Knight, and shows that she is survived by her sons William & Warren Knight owners of Knight Shoe co, and her son Frank L Knight the owner of Knight Packing Co.
I wonder if he charged his bros. for the sign?
Also they still make Stacy Adams shoes.