Grassyfork Fisheries

In the early 1900s Eugene Shireman inherited a farm which was too wet to be of much use as a conventional farm. It was mostly swamp. Having several ponds already on the property, and being one to make opportunity of adversity, he decided to try his hand at raising goldfish. Thus in 1902, starting with two hundred fish he set out to start a goldfish hatchery.
Goldfish are copious breeders. A female may lay as many as 75,000 eggs in a single season, of which about twenty five per cent (or approximately 18,750 ) will hatch and develop into saleable fish.
Shireman found a ready market for these prolific fish. Department stores, pet shops, novelty stores, drug stores and florists all were buyers of his colorful product. As the operation showed continued success, Shireman bought up surrounding "worthless" farmland and expanded his operation. Continuing sales allowed Mr. Shireman to expand his operation to 1500 acres and 600 ponds, a success which gave Grassyfork the reputation of being the largest goldfish hatchery in the world.

The Grassyfork sales and display building was opened in May of 1936. It offered the public a chance to view and purchase a wide variety of fish and related items.
The glass building on the front housed a rock garden, pool and fountain. The greenhouse (visible on the back) housed pools which were filled with a variety of aquatic plants.

By 1970, when Grassyfork was sold to Ozark Fisheries of Stoutland Missouri, the annual production of the operation was an estimated 40 million fish. At the time of purchase by Ozark, retail sales were discontinued and the public showroom closed.

(The images at right and above were scanned from old postcards. Both bearing the text: Bailey Drug Store, Martinsville, IN and Curteich-Chicago.)

One of the most remembered things about Grassyfork is their neon "swimming goldfish" sign. On old 37, it was apparently visible for some distance after dark. A local racoon hunter claims that he and his fellow hunters found it valuable for getting their bearings in the woods at night.

Most of the information above was gleaned from the book, "Martinsville, A Pictorial History". It is used with the kind permission of G. Bradley Publishing, Inc. and author Joanne Raetz Stuttgen.

Web Page Designed and Created by Ron Riggan for SCICAN Corporation - August 1997

	The Grassyfork sales and display building was opened in May of 1936. It offered the public a chance to view and purchase a wide variety of fish and related items. The glass building on the front housed a rock garden, pool and fountain. The greenhouse (visible on the back) housed pools which were filled with a variety of aquatic plants.
By 1970, when Grassyfork was sold to Ozark Fisheries of Stoutland Missouri, the annual production of the operation was an estimated 40 million fish. At the time of purchase by Ozark, retail sales were discontinued and the public showroom closed. (The images at right and above were scanned from old postcards. Both bearing the text: Bailey Drug Store, Martinsville, IN and Curteich-Chicago.)
	One of the most remembered things about Grassyfork is their neon "swimming goldfish" sign. On old 37, it was apparently visible for some distance after dark. A local racoon hunter claims that he and his fellow hunters found it valuable for getting their bearings in the woods at night.