Richmond Hill Plantation, Sterling Creek Lettuce Shed, East of Richmond Hill on Ford Neck Road, Richmond Hill

Source document Quoted word for word from HABS GA-2348-B. Not written, edited or summarised by this site.

The Sterling Creek Lettuce Shed was used to pack and ice lettuce grown in the adjacent Sterling Marsh. Iceberg lettuce was the most successful of Henry Ford's experimental crops. Description: This long building measures x Its construction is almost identical to the Cherry Hill Lettuce Shed. The two-story building has heavy post and beam frame construction set on concrete footings; the enclosed room on the north end has a poured concrete foundation. The shed has a board and batten exterior with shuttered single sash windows. The first story level at the shed's south end is left open with a dirt floor for open-air storage and vehicle parking. History: Henry Ford sponsored world-wide research efforts for the use of agricultural products.

In addition to being Henry Ford's personal retreat, the Richmond Hill estate was utilized in the same manner as a university experimental farm. At the Richmond Hill laboratory, directed by Harry G. Ukkelberg, considerable effort went into finding economically viable crops for former rice fields. All along the Savannah and Ogeechee Rivers, millions of acres of these abandoned tidal rice fields had reverted to marshland. Numerous vegetable crops were moderately successful, but Iceberg lettuce grown in the old rice lands was found to have "a particularly better flavor" than the same variety from uplands. It became the most profitable of all the experimental crops. Two lettuce packing sheds were constructed around to efficiently process the harvest and get it to market.

Lettuce was produced and packed in this shed for approximately ten years, from about to After that time, it was used as a barn for general purpose storage.

Source document Quoted word for word from HABS GA-2348-B. Not written, edited or summarised by this site.

Scott Butler and David Diener, Brockington and Associates, Atlanta 661 l Bay Circle, Suite Norcross, Georgia August . r WOODED ~~ ~ ~ MARSH r ~ ~TREE "~ LINE 6 p> ~ n 0 Ci>- ~ z t:l ~ DYNAMITE~ l' STERLING CREEK LETTUCE SHED l' SHED ~- '"O WOODED r ~ ~ ~ l' ~ Large .. . . . / lV ~ Oak >! W1iE 0 s to , en ;!l z~ 20 O 20 40FEET 0 ~ . ::i Cl (JO ;:i:..n I ,_, DRAWN BY DAVID DIENER SURVEY NO I HISTORIC AMERICAN LIBRARY OF CONGRESS ~:;i;- RICHMOND HILL RICHMOND HILL PLANTATION RE\'ISU.J (l<'ord Plantation) BUILDINGS SURVEY 00 l ' I ~ATION,\L

Park Service

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David Diener

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Ark Service

Sterling Creek Lettuce Shed Second Floor S!IEET J OF ) SHEET wg l'N!TEDS'/X!HOFTllF.INTERIOR I RICHMOND HILL BRYAN COUNTY GEORGIA (') '"O ~ en ::r p.