Tobacco Prizing House, 116 Elm Street, Madison, Jefferson County, IN

Significance: William Stapp or Alexander C. Laner erected the original 4 bay carriage house between 1887 and 1892. The site changed hands twice before the W. Trow Company, one of Indiana's leading flour mills, purchased it in 1903. By 1904, the W. Trow Company added 10 skylighted bays to the east and converted the carriage house into a cooperage. After sacks replaced barrels as the primary means of packing flour, Trow sold the cooperage to Julius Scheyer. He converted it into a garment factory operated under the name Major Apron Company from 1919 to 1921. The painted words "MAJOR _RON CO." are still visible above the truck canopy on the west facade. Bayard "Barney" Hughes purchased the building in 1922 and rented it to the American Tobacco Co. through the 1960s. It was used as a prizing house where tobacco grown in Kentucky and Indiana was graded and packed for shipment. During this period, the first floor of the 5 eastern bays was lowered to make room for a tobacco press. Other changes include a lean-to shed addition, 2 built-in scales, and a loading door in the north wall.
Unprocessed Field note material exists for this structure: N654
Survey number: HAER IN-75