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Page 18 June 2017 The Catoctin Banner Newspaper www.TheCatoctinBanner.com Published by www.EPlusPromotes.com
Gone Fishin’ — Frederick County Once the Largest Producer
of Goldfish
James Rada, Jr.
When Luther Powell and his Ernest Tresselt wrote in his book in part due to “the availability of business, raising ornamental fish and
brothers attended the 1904 World’s Autobiography of a Goldfish Farmer, water on many farms because of the aquatic plants.
Fair in St. Louis, they saw a “That’s how goldfish found its way mountain streams and springs. The
presentation about raising goldfish. to the Maryland countryside, on temperate climate, with its distinct Tresselt believed that Frederick
Upon returning home, they realized the tails of edible carp. It is easy to seasonal changes, is ideal for the County might not have had the oldest
that their farm had a good water speculate that one or more farms propagation of goldfish.” goldfish farms in the country, but the
supply, so they dug ponds and began in Frederick County got goldfish county did have the most goldfish
a new business venture. along with their carp during the George Leicester Thomas, who farmers. At the peak of goldfish
period when the carp culture in founded Three Springs Fisheries in farming in the county (1920s and
The idea caught on with other farm fish ponds was advocated as a 1917 in Buckeystown, believed that 1930s), he estimates that as many
farmers who saw it as a way to make supplementary food supply.” the success of goldfish farming in as thirty or more farms were raising
money from their ponds, and within Frederick County was largely due millions of goldfish. The 1925
a few years, nearly all of the goldfish Charles J. Ramsburg of to the fact that the mineral content News-Post Yearbook and Almanac
in America were coming from Lewistown is believed to be the first of the water was well-suited for listed the county’s production at
Frederick County. goldfish farmer in Frederick County. goldfish. Thomas’ grandson, Charles, three-and-a-half to four million
By the early 1900s, Ramsberg was agreed, saying that the rich color goldfish on 400-500 acres.
“At one point, 83 percent of the shipping about a million fish a year of the goldfish resulted from good
goldfish in the country were from around the country, according to breeding stock and water rich in The Powells eventually had 45
Frederick County,” said Bill Powell, History of Frederick County. nutrients from truckloads of manure acres of ponds on their properties,
Luther’s grandson. dumped in the ponds. “The manure and would ship out 120,000 goldfish
Another pioneer in goldfish has nutrients that fish thrive on a week from September through
Bred in China for their color, farming was Ernest R. Powell and actually all they have to do November.
goldfish were the first non-indigenous of Lewistown. In 1892, at the is open their mouths in order to
fish brought into the United States. age of twelve, Powell began to eat,” he told the Frederick Post in “In the early days, we would get
The historical record does not breed goldfish. By 1910, when his 1981. It was these nutrients in the the fish out of the ponds and ship
confirm an arrival date, but stories biography appeared in History water, according to Thomas, that them around the country to five and
with references to goldfish put their of Frederick County, Powell had gave Frederick County goldfish the dime stores,” Powell said.
arrival as early as 1826. They were become successful enough in his reputation of being the best-colored
being sold as pets by the 1850s, enterprise to be identified as “one goldfish in the country. These goldfish were sold for
and interest in them spiked after P. of the largest dealers of goldfish in $10 to $50 per thousand, and the
T. Barnum opened the first public Frederick County.” George Thomas started his value of the yearly production was
aquarium in 1856. business as a roadside stand in approximately $75,000. By 1932,
More farmers began entering the Buckeystown that sold the vegetables production increased to seven million
One suggestion for the popularity business, using existing farm ponds or and goldfish that he grew on his goldfish on 500-600 acres, with
of goldfish in the county is that the new ponds dug by hand with shovels, farm. “He had a keen eye for finding goldfish selling for $35 to $70 per
German families that settled in the wheelbarrows, and horse-drawn some type of venture where he might thousand (retail price five-ten cents
county enjoyed a fish-rich diet, which scoops. “In the early part of the be successful,” Charles Thomas each). Reports estimated Frederick
had led to a depletion of fish in the century, I think people in the county, said of his grandfather in a 2006 County goldfish farmers had brought
local streams. They purchased carp especially farmers, saw goldfish as a interview. While customers may have $1.5 million into the county.
from the government to supplement way of making extra money,” Tresselt bought his vegetables, they tended
the natural fish population. The said in a 2006 interview. to show more interest in the goldfish In 1920, county farmers
carp were shipped in cans, and some bred in his goldfish hatchery, Three organized the Gold Fish Breeders
goldfish, which are cousins to carp, Tresselt believed that goldfish Springs Fisheries. When the U.S. Association of Frederick County, in
also stowed away in the cans. farming flourished in the county postal authorities agreed to establish part to fight against the high cost
a branch office near the fishery to of shipping, property assessments
assist in the shipping of the goldfish, on goldfish ponds, and other issues
they asked George Thomas to select of importance to Frederick County
a name; in 1932, the Lilypons post goldfish farmers. The organization
office branch was created. By the ended once many of the county
end of World War II, Thomas’ fish goldfish farmers left the business.
hatchery, now known as Lilypons,
had become the world’s largest Early goldfish farming was
producer of goldfish. relatively simple. In the spring,
farmers stocked their ponds with
Hunting Creek Fisheries near breeder goldfish. The goldfish
Thurmont was started by Frederick reproduced, and the young grew
Tresselt, a graduate of Cornell through the summer. Feeding the fish
University, who had worked at the was kept at a minimum. Generally,
state trout hatchery in Hackettstown, some form of ground grain, like
New Jersey. “In driving around the wheat middlings or ground corn, was
county with a friend in 1922, Dad the food of choice. The breeders were
was amazed to see all the goldfish kept in the deepest ponds since these
ponds in the area,” his son, Ernest, ponds provided a good water supply
said in 2006. “Every farm that could, over the winter.
had fish ponds. It was a cash crop for
them [the farmers].” Hunting Creek Powell said that his family looked
Fisheries opened in 1923 and is still for fish with long fins and thick
in operation today as a family-run bodies. They would spread Spanish
moss in the ponds where the goldfish
could lay their eggs. The moss was
then moved to empty ponds so that
…Continued on page 19
Gone Fishin’ — Frederick County Once the Largest Producer
of Goldfish
James Rada, Jr.
When Luther Powell and his Ernest Tresselt wrote in his book in part due to “the availability of business, raising ornamental fish and
brothers attended the 1904 World’s Autobiography of a Goldfish Farmer, water on many farms because of the aquatic plants.
Fair in St. Louis, they saw a “That’s how goldfish found its way mountain streams and springs. The
presentation about raising goldfish. to the Maryland countryside, on temperate climate, with its distinct Tresselt believed that Frederick
Upon returning home, they realized the tails of edible carp. It is easy to seasonal changes, is ideal for the County might not have had the oldest
that their farm had a good water speculate that one or more farms propagation of goldfish.” goldfish farms in the country, but the
supply, so they dug ponds and began in Frederick County got goldfish county did have the most goldfish
a new business venture. along with their carp during the George Leicester Thomas, who farmers. At the peak of goldfish
period when the carp culture in founded Three Springs Fisheries in farming in the county (1920s and
The idea caught on with other farm fish ponds was advocated as a 1917 in Buckeystown, believed that 1930s), he estimates that as many
farmers who saw it as a way to make supplementary food supply.” the success of goldfish farming in as thirty or more farms were raising
money from their ponds, and within Frederick County was largely due millions of goldfish. The 1925
a few years, nearly all of the goldfish Charles J. Ramsburg of to the fact that the mineral content News-Post Yearbook and Almanac
in America were coming from Lewistown is believed to be the first of the water was well-suited for listed the county’s production at
Frederick County. goldfish farmer in Frederick County. goldfish. Thomas’ grandson, Charles, three-and-a-half to four million
By the early 1900s, Ramsberg was agreed, saying that the rich color goldfish on 400-500 acres.
“At one point, 83 percent of the shipping about a million fish a year of the goldfish resulted from good
goldfish in the country were from around the country, according to breeding stock and water rich in The Powells eventually had 45
Frederick County,” said Bill Powell, History of Frederick County. nutrients from truckloads of manure acres of ponds on their properties,
Luther’s grandson. dumped in the ponds. “The manure and would ship out 120,000 goldfish
Another pioneer in goldfish has nutrients that fish thrive on a week from September through
Bred in China for their color, farming was Ernest R. Powell and actually all they have to do November.
goldfish were the first non-indigenous of Lewistown. In 1892, at the is open their mouths in order to
fish brought into the United States. age of twelve, Powell began to eat,” he told the Frederick Post in “In the early days, we would get
The historical record does not breed goldfish. By 1910, when his 1981. It was these nutrients in the the fish out of the ponds and ship
confirm an arrival date, but stories biography appeared in History water, according to Thomas, that them around the country to five and
with references to goldfish put their of Frederick County, Powell had gave Frederick County goldfish the dime stores,” Powell said.
arrival as early as 1826. They were become successful enough in his reputation of being the best-colored
being sold as pets by the 1850s, enterprise to be identified as “one goldfish in the country. These goldfish were sold for
and interest in them spiked after P. of the largest dealers of goldfish in $10 to $50 per thousand, and the
T. Barnum opened the first public Frederick County.” George Thomas started his value of the yearly production was
aquarium in 1856. business as a roadside stand in approximately $75,000. By 1932,
More farmers began entering the Buckeystown that sold the vegetables production increased to seven million
One suggestion for the popularity business, using existing farm ponds or and goldfish that he grew on his goldfish on 500-600 acres, with
of goldfish in the county is that the new ponds dug by hand with shovels, farm. “He had a keen eye for finding goldfish selling for $35 to $70 per
German families that settled in the wheelbarrows, and horse-drawn some type of venture where he might thousand (retail price five-ten cents
county enjoyed a fish-rich diet, which scoops. “In the early part of the be successful,” Charles Thomas each). Reports estimated Frederick
had led to a depletion of fish in the century, I think people in the county, said of his grandfather in a 2006 County goldfish farmers had brought
local streams. They purchased carp especially farmers, saw goldfish as a interview. While customers may have $1.5 million into the county.
from the government to supplement way of making extra money,” Tresselt bought his vegetables, they tended
the natural fish population. The said in a 2006 interview. to show more interest in the goldfish In 1920, county farmers
carp were shipped in cans, and some bred in his goldfish hatchery, Three organized the Gold Fish Breeders
goldfish, which are cousins to carp, Tresselt believed that goldfish Springs Fisheries. When the U.S. Association of Frederick County, in
also stowed away in the cans. farming flourished in the county postal authorities agreed to establish part to fight against the high cost
a branch office near the fishery to of shipping, property assessments
assist in the shipping of the goldfish, on goldfish ponds, and other issues
they asked George Thomas to select of importance to Frederick County
a name; in 1932, the Lilypons post goldfish farmers. The organization
office branch was created. By the ended once many of the county
end of World War II, Thomas’ fish goldfish farmers left the business.
hatchery, now known as Lilypons,
had become the world’s largest Early goldfish farming was
producer of goldfish. relatively simple. In the spring,
farmers stocked their ponds with
Hunting Creek Fisheries near breeder goldfish. The goldfish
Thurmont was started by Frederick reproduced, and the young grew
Tresselt, a graduate of Cornell through the summer. Feeding the fish
University, who had worked at the was kept at a minimum. Generally,
state trout hatchery in Hackettstown, some form of ground grain, like
New Jersey. “In driving around the wheat middlings or ground corn, was
county with a friend in 1922, Dad the food of choice. The breeders were
was amazed to see all the goldfish kept in the deepest ponds since these
ponds in the area,” his son, Ernest, ponds provided a good water supply
said in 2006. “Every farm that could, over the winter.
had fish ponds. It was a cash crop for
them [the farmers].” Hunting Creek Powell said that his family looked
Fisheries opened in 1923 and is still for fish with long fins and thick
in operation today as a family-run bodies. They would spread Spanish
moss in the ponds where the goldfish
could lay their eggs. The moss was
then moved to empty ponds so that
…Continued on page 19
