Brooke, Virginia Marker

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Brooke in Stafford County, Virginia — The American South (Mid-Atlantic)

Brooke, Virginia

By Kevin White, August 28, 2007

1. Brooke, Virginia Marker

Inscription. In 1921, Jethro Kloss opened this Health Food Factory. It was on this site that he started writing “Back to Eden” the ground-breaking guide to herbal therapy.

Jethro Kloss is considered by many to be the father of the organic health food movement.

Location. 38° 23.194′ N, 77° 22.847′ W. Marker is in Brooke, Virginia, in Stafford County. Marker is on Brooke Road (County Route 608) 0.1 miles south of Andrew Chapel Road (County Route 629), on the left when traveling east. Click for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 1732 Brooke Rd, Stafford, VA 22554, Stafford VA 22554, United States of America.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 3 miles of this marker, as the crow flies. From Indian Path to Highway (approx. 2.4 miles away); Trooper Jessica Jean Cheney (approx. 2.5 miles away); Union Redoubt No. 3 (approx. 2.5 miles away); Union Redoubt # 3 (approx. 2.6 miles away); Potomac Creek Bridge (approx. 2.6 miles away); Stafford County Tri-Centennial (approx. 2.9 miles away); In Honor of Those Who Served (approx. 2.9 miles away); In Memory of the Oklahoma City tragedy (approx. 3 miles away). Click for a list of all markers in Brooke.

More about this marker. Marker is across the street from Andrew Chapel United Methodist Church. The building it marks is between the Church and the Brooke Virginia Railway Express (VRE) commuter rail station. Note the marker is made out of wood, possibly locally constructed.

By Kevin White, August 28, 2007

2. Brooke, Virginia Marker

The "Health Food Factory" can be seen in the background. As there are large unique novelty items in the windows, it appears to currently house a curiosity shop. No hours were posted.

Also see . . .
1. Back to Eden. 1939 book by Jethro Kloss on Amazon.com. “If you read Back to Eden, you’ll see that Jethro Kloss was way ahead of his time. He advocated a diet high in fruits, vegetables and grains and with minimal meat, caffeine, fat and sugars. Some of his treatments will seem dated (fomentations or hot packs) but some are still in use in holistic healing centers around the world today. He also recommended living a spiritually healthy life, realizing again that health comes from a totally integrated lifestyle, where body, mind and spirit are in harmony.” (Submitted on August 31, 2007.)
2. Jethro Kloss and Back to Eden: Work with Soyfoods. A brief biography of Jethro Kloss centered on his work with Soy Beans. (Submitted on February 5, 2008, by Kevin W. of Stafford, Virginia.)
3. A Son’s Recollection. A foreword by Eden Pettis Kloss in the Revised and Updated Edition of Back to Eden, tells of the factory and its surroundings in Brooke, Virginia. (Submitted on February 6, 2008.)

Nuto Can Label Photo, Click for full size

Michael Miller Collection,

3. Nuto Can Label

“NUTO. Composed of Nuts and Grains.” “Strictly Vegetarian. Brooke Health Food Company, Brooke, Virginia.”

Michael Miller of Washington D.C. reports “In the book Back to Eden by Jethro Kloss, his son or daughter talk about leaving Brooke and moving to Takoma Park, Maryland. I used to buy Nuto at a Seventh Day Adventist Health Food store in Takoma Park in the 1970’s. I stopped seeing Nuto ages ago, but saved the label for its quirky value.”