Did you know?

Did you know... where this building was located? This is a north side and rear view of the Van Camp Pkg. Co. The building built in 1904, still located at 715 1st St. today, has had many owners and uses over the years. It was home to a milk creamery and later a packing plant. In 1922 it became Perry Milk Products and finally, Meadow Gold Ice Cream which closed in 2000. The white building is long gone, but the large brick structure lives on. When it was Meadow Gold I worked one summer as a teenager, peddling ice cream from a bike-mounted cooler, that I rode around town. I was not paid by the hour, I was paid a commission on each ice cream treat I sold. I learned that Perry was not as flat as I once thought when I peddled that heavy cart full of ice cream treats and dry ice around town.

Next week...

Did you know... where this business was located?

This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: Did you know column for April 25, 2024