Although Baltimore was the epicenter of the canning industry in the 19th century, the biggest players in the canning industry in Maryland during the 20th century were Frank and Clyde Thomas.
WWI created a need for rationing and the Thomas family capitalized, opening the first cannery in Montgomery County in the suburban town of Gaithersburg. The factory provided an important boost to local industry, creating a market for farmers and jobs for migrant workers.
The cannery served both local retailers and the troops during WWI and WWII, providing peas, pumpkin, and corn. During peacetime, the cannery produced canned corn, peas, and succotash under the brand names MY-T-NICE, EVER-GOOD, BARBARA FRITCHIE, and ON-TOP.
The cannery consisted of a central processing station, shipping station, and boiler plant and operated between 1917 and 1962.
Today, the cannery serves as a mixed use building that is home to offices and commercial interests.
Know Before You Go
The Thomas & Company Cannery was designated a Gaithersburg Landmark in 1997 and added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1990.
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