Brunkow Pickling Company

    Mrs Brunkow was known for her cucumber canning. Eventually her recipes became the basis for the family businesses.  Charles A. Brunkow established the pickle plant in Delano in 1909. It was for years an active going concern. Hiring locals, including women, and paid thousands of dollars to the farmers for cucumbers used in preparing their product, which consisted of dill, sweet and sour pickles.  The product of the plant found a ready market from New York City to Helena, Montana, and as far south as St. Louis and Kansas City.
   In 1893 Charles Brunkow was approached by a group of businessmen who wished to be relieved of handling produce brought in to town from the farms; they offered to help him to start in the produce business.  He became the proprietor of the Delano Produce Purchasing Company, paying cash for butter, poultry, veal, pork, game of all kinds, eggs, hides, and even ginseng.  The business prospered and in time became a general store, then a grocery store, and led to the forming of the pickle factory.
   In 1919 three of Charles’ sons, Reynold, Frank, and Herbert took over the plant, and in 1926, Herbert became the sole owner.  He operated the factory until it closed in 1938.