When I am researching one topic I often come across random historical tidbits that I think might be interesting to research one day. These tidbits sometimes end up as full-fledged stories and sometimes they just stay as random historical tidbits. I have collected quite a few, so I thought it might be fun to present them in the form of “treats” for a local history advent calendar. Think of them as holiday cocktail party fodder – 24 facts about Vancouver history that can be used as conversation starters at your next social event.
Day 4: Woodward’s once had a peanut butter factory in the sky…
The base of the tower that supported the revolving ‘W’ on top of the Woodward’s Store on Hastings once housed the Woodward’s brand peanut butter factory. The one person plant, located in the 4-storey extension from the roof, processed thousand’s of tons of peanuts using a cast iron machine that was first installed at the Hastings Street store in 1910. A sentimental favourite for fans of Woodward’s Food Floor, Woodward’s brand peanut butter was produced in the factory until the 1980s.
vanalogue 