The Todd House & the First Smithfield Ham
In this house, in about 1780, Captain Mallory Todd cured the first commercially produced Smithfield hams, which were shipped to customers in England.
Hams were cured on this site from 1779 to 1936. The original Todd warehouse stood on the adjacent lot until the 1950's.
[Captions:]
The home of the original Smithfield ham as it appeared in the early 1900's. The venerable structure was torn down tin the 1950's.
A 1779 invoice for one of the earliest Smithfield hams ever commercially produced. It was sold by Capt. Mallory Todd to Ellerston and John Perot on the island of St. Eustatius in the West Indies.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Animals • Industry & Commerce • Settlements & Settlers. A significant historical year for this entry is 1780.
Location. 36° 58.97′ N, 76° 37.792′ W. Marker is in Smithfield, Virginia, in Isle of Wight County. It is at the intersection of Main Street and Commerce Street, on the right when traveling east on Main Street. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 13 Main St, Smithfield VA 23430, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Regionally, this marker is in Coastal Virginia and in the Hampton Roads Metropolitan Area. It is also in the American South, specifically in the Upper South, and in the Tidewater. Globally, it is in the North Atlantic Region, North America, the Western Hemisphere, the Western World, and the Anglosphere. Historically, it finds itself in what was once the territory of the Mississippian Culture, one of the original Thirteen Colonies, one of the Confederate States of America, and the Antebellum South.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: Bricks in the Crosswalk (about 500 feet away, measured in a direct line); Ivy Hill Cemetery (about 500 feet away); Founding Site of Smithfield Packing Company
this page online
Another marker is no longer nearby. Battle of Smithfield (was approx. 0.3 miles away but has been confirmed missing).
Credits. This page was last revised on February 7, 2021. It was originally submitted on February 7, 2021, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia. This page has been viewed 928 times since then and 65 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on February 7, 2021, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia.
