Huron-Perth Boomers Winter 2023-24
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HISTORY<br />
the industries of<br />
huron county<br />
BY KEVIN DEN DUNNEN<br />
What do a king, a flax harvester, and an apple evaporator have<br />
in common? They were all part of major industries in <strong>Huron</strong><br />
County that are now all but forgotten.<br />
Did you know that <strong>Huron</strong> County was once home to a king? The Egg<br />
King, that is. Operating from 1867 to 1905, David Douglas Wilson’s<br />
Egg Emporium of Seaforth was, by his own claim in 1881, the largest<br />
shipper of eggs in Canada. The largest recipient of eggs from the Egg<br />
Emporium was New York, while it also shipped to the United Kingdom,<br />
and across Canada. In 1882, the company purchased, processed, and<br />
shipped over 7.5 million eggs from its Seaforth location. During May<br />
1892, Wilson received and processed 300,000 eggs per week. It is during<br />
this time that reports of Wilson’s fleet, as recalled in The Story of<br />
Seaforth, reached 20 wagons and the Egg Emporium employed over 50<br />
people. Wilson’s wagons travelled the counties of <strong>Huron</strong>, <strong>Perth</strong>, Bruce,<br />
and Wellington, purchasing eggs from stores to bring to the Emporium.<br />
18 • HURONPERTHBOOMERS.COM