The
Packinghouse Dining Company is housed in an
authentic turn-of-the-century meat packing plant which was constructed by
Swift & Company. It is located in downtown Galesburg in the old
commercial district which was once a center for meat, produce and grocery
wholesalers and distributors. Pictured left is the grand opening ceremony in
1912. A horse drawn delivery wagon can be seen in the left of the photo in
the area that is now the entrance to the restaurant. Originally there was a
stable for horses in this area. Until 1926, when the first trucks were
introduced, Swift & Company made all of its deliveries by horse drawn
wagons, serving butcher shops, restaurants and institutions up to fifty
miles away. The building was used by Swift & Company until the Galesburg
operation was discontinued in 1976.
The Packinghouse Dining Company
obtained the building in 1978 and converted
it to a restaurant operation,
opening in March 1979. During the renovation an effort was made to retain
much of original interior. The main dining room was a large walk-in cooler
and the original overhead refrigeration lines and meat rails have been
preserved. The old freight elevator by the entrance now serves as a coat
room. The cooler doors, large scale and refrigeration gauges are authentic.
The blackboard titled "High Voltage Club" located in the northeast corner of
the dining room was used to record sales performance.
The
Packinghouse Dining Company is housed in an
authentic turn-of-the-century meat packing plant which was constructed by
Swift & Company. It is located in downtown Galesburg in the old
commercial district which was once a center for meat, produce and grocery
wholesalers and distributors. Pictured left is the grand opening ceremony in
1912. A horse drawn delivery wagon can be seen in the left of the photo in
the area that is now the entrance to the restaurant. Originally there was a
stable for horses in this area. Until 1926, when the first trucks were
introduced, Swift & Company made all of its deliveries by horse drawn
wagons, serving butcher shops, restaurants and institutions up to fifty
miles away. The building was used by Swift & Company until the Galesburg
operation was discontinued in 1976.
operation,
opening in March 1979. During the renovation an effort was made to retain
much of original interior. The main dining room was a large walk-in cooler
and the original overhead refrigeration lines and meat rails have been
preserved. The old freight elevator by the entrance now serves as a coat
room. The cooler doors, large scale and refrigeration gauges are authentic.
The blackboard titled "High Voltage Club" located in the northeast corner of
the dining room was used to record sales performance.