Brundidge in Pike County, Alabama — The American South (East South Central)
City of Brundidge and the Bass House
⎯⎯⎯
Brundidge's Peanut Butter Heritage
Photographed by Mark Hilton, February 16, 2014
1. City of Brundidge and the Bass House Marker
City of Brundidge and the Bass House. Brundidge was founded in 1851 and incorporated in 1890. Brundidge City Hall has been located in the former Bass House on South Main Street in downtown Brundidge since November 1992. The entire house was restored to become one of the most beautiful structures in the county. The Bass Home was built for Fletcher C. Bass (1864-1935) in 1906 by a master carpenter, Ben Andrews. The Bass family, who lived the typical life of a well-to-do Southern family, became a staple in the Brundidge and Pike County area. They were well respected for their culture and business acumen.
Brundidge's Peanut Butter Heritage. Brundidge takes pride in the role it played in pioneering the peanut butter industry in the Southeast. In 1928, Brundidge native, J.D. Johnston realized that peanut butter was gaining popularity as an inexpensive source of protein, so he set up a crude machine in the upstairs of a wood frame building off Main Street and started one of the first commercial peanut butter mills in the Southeast. Soon, the Johnston Peanut Butter Mill was shipping out more than two million jars of the popular foodstuff each year. The peanut butter mill helped sustain the town during the Great Depression by providing jobs and a steady supply of inexpensive protein. The late 1940s began the decline
this page online
Erected 2010 by the Alabama Tourism Department and the City of Brundidge.
Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Agriculture • Industry & Commerce • Settlements & Settlers. In addition, it is included in the Alabama Tourism Department series list. A significant historical month for this entry is November 1992.
Location. 31° 43.133′ N, 85° 48.946′ W. Marker is in Brundidge, Alabama, in Pike County. It is on South Main Street (Alabama Route 93) 0.1 miles south of SA Graham Boulevard ( Route 10), on the right when traveling south. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 146 South Main Street, Brundidge AL 36010, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Regionally, this marker is in the American South, specifically in the Deep South, in the Black Belt, and in the Wiregrass. Globally, it is in North America, a Gulf of Mexico state, 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 Confederate States of America, and the Antebellum South.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 3 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies: "Lest We Forget" (within shouting distance of this marker); Old City Hall (about 500 feet away, measured in a direct line); Salem Baptist Church (about 600 feet away); Philadelphia Presbyterian Church (approx. 1.3 miles away); In Honor and Rememberance (approx. 2.7 miles away);
Photographed by Mark Hilton, February 16, 2014
2. Brundidge's Peanut Butter Heritage Marker
Also see . . . City of Brundidge. Replacement for original broken link; 09/01/2020 LPG. (Submitted on February 17, 2014, by Mark Hilton of Montgomery, Alabama.)
Photographed by Mark Hilton, February 16, 2014
3. Brundidge City Hall
Photographed by Mark Hilton, February 16, 2014
4. Large Peanut Monument at City Hall
Credits. This page was last revised on June 27, 2025. It was originally submitted on February 17, 2014, by Mark Hilton of Montgomery, Alabama. This page has been viewed 4,213 times since then and 66 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4. submitted on February 17, 2014, by Mark Hilton of Montgomery, Alabama. • Bernard Fisher was the editor who published this page.
