155 Years of History, Stories, and Good Corn: the Missouri Meerschaum Anniversary

155 Years of History, Stories, and Good Corn: the Missouri Meerschaum Anniversary

Go back 25- 30 years ago, when Missouri Meerschaum was bought by three gentlemen, Michael, Larry, and Bob.  Michael tells the story about one of the reasons they purchased 150 acres of land: to ensure they had enough corn to stay in business.  The story goes like this: the local Missouri farmers had lost another crop of corn due to catastrophic weather.  Things were getting desperate when it came to keeping the factory running because of the shortage of corn cobs, and Michael looked to California to grow some of the hybrid corn they use for pipes.

Missouri Meerschaum Corn Cob Pipe Factory
Missouri Meerschaum Corn Cob Pipe Factory
 
He found several farmers willing to grow their seed, and once they were done, Michael found a truck driver who agreed to transport the corn from California to Missouri, but with a story like this, there has to be something.  In this case, the truck driver only had one arm, his left arm.  He drove three back-to-back trips from California to Washington, Missouri, reaching across his body with his left hand to shift gears.  
 
With the year’s most recent devastating floods and loss of corn, this was their only solution to keep the doors open, and Michael realized that he and his partners needed to secure their own irrigated land to grow their hybrid seeds.  He found 150 acres, but his other co-owners were not entirely convinced it was their best option.  Fast forward a year, and another massive flood in the existing fields caused that year’s corn crop to be lost again.  The partners were ready this time, but the land price jumped an extra 200k.  They finally managed to buy the irrigated property and secured the future of Missouri Meerschaum with those 150 acres.  
 
Celebrating 155 Years in Business
 
This year, the 155th anniversary was hosted at the Missouri Meerschaum pipe factory in downtown Washington, Missouri, near where Lewis and Clark stopped and camped in 1804 on their way to Montana. 
Washington Missouri
Washington Missouri
This year’s festivities coincided with Washington’s Fall Festival of the Arts & Crafts, which brought thousands of people downtown to try food, buy arts, crafts, and other assortment of items in the quaint little town, and, of course, get tours of the historic corn cob pipe company. 
 
Factory Right This Way
Factory Right This Way
 
Missouri Meerschaum is a complete Farm-to-Table process
 
You can smoke a corn cob pipe today because of an intense dedication to getting it right, from the non-GMO hybrid seed that the University of Missouri helped Missouri Meerschuam work on in the 1970s and 1980s to the way they harvest and remove the husks to the 2-3 years the cobs have to sit and dry out so they can be turned into a pipe.
Large Corn Cobs
Large Hybrid-Non GMO White Corn Cobs
 
An interesting tidbit is that modern corn is nothing like the corn that was grown in our past; with modern farming methods, corn is grown for the number of corn cobs, not for size, and modern yields are usually 30,000 seeds per acre. The University of Missouri found out, through testing, that to get the larger corn cob, you need less corn planted, and the sweet spot for Missouri Meerschaum corn is around 18,000 seeds per acre. 
 
Corn Ready to be Harvested
Corn Ready to be Harvested
 
This is partly because corn will pull a ton of nutrients out of the ground, and there is only so much to go around, even with crop rotation. Thus, modern farming can do a number on your fields, and you’ll have much smaller cobs unsuitable for pipes.
 
Corn in its Husk
Corn in its Husk
 
It can take six to upwards of eight months to shell all the corn that is harvested through the custom built walnut shelling system they have at the corn crib.
At the Crib
At the Crib – Corn Silo in the background.

Nothing goes to waste, either.  All the corn kernels that are shelled go to this large silo pictured above that is sold to two places: ADM (Archer Daniels Midland), which does corn processing:  From WikipediaThe Corn Processing segment converts corn into sweeteners and starches, and bioproducts. Its products include ingredients used in the food and beverage industry, including sweeteners, starch, syrup, and glucose (dextrose). Dextrose and starch are used by the Corn Processing segment as feedstocks for its bioproducts operations. 

 
Pinckney Bend Distillery
Pinckney Bend Distillery
 
The other place where the corn is sold is Pinckney Bend Distillery, about 20 minutes down the road in New Haven, Missouri.  The white corn that Missouri Meerschaum uses has a higher sugar content and is perfect for making a great whiskey.
 
Pot Still
Pot Still
 
There, the corn is turned into glorious whiskey, which you can drink Missouri Meerschaum-grown corn whiskey while you smoke your Missouri Meerschaum corn cob pipe while sitting in the place that makes it all.  Meta much?
Rested American Whiskey
Rested American Whiskey
 
Unfortunately, the laws of the state of Missouri say they cannot ship outside of the state, and the current distribution is not large enough to reach most readers, but you can drive there and buy some bottles to bring home. 
 
Not your average whiskey barrel
Not your average whiskey barrel
 
Of note, aside from the great whiskeys they have, they also have a whiskey with some flavor to it called Apple Ambush, which, I kid you not, tastes like you’re drinking spiced apple pie.
 
Apple Ambush
Apple Ambush
 
The Pinckney Bend Distillery offers a tasting flight for $15, which includes a glass. The flight includes eight or so different liquors and a tasty mixed beverage.  
 
Corn Harvester
Corn Harvester
 
When we stopped at the Corn Cribb, we checked out the two 1980s model pickers. Modern Combine/Harvesters don’t do the job needed—keeping a pristine cob that can be used for the pipes. 
 
 
 
From Start to Finish
Cob Storage
Cob Storage
 
Cobs are stored for 2-3 years on the 2nd and 3rd floors of the factory, where a shoot that goes down to the first floor drops cobs ready for production. Each corn cob you smoke takes around a week to make.  They leave the windows open at the factory, especially during the winter months, because it helps dry out the corn better.
 
Cob Shoot
Cob Shoot

The cobs come down the shoot and are cut into the size they need based on their current production.   Next, the cobs are bored out to create the tobacco chamber.

Boring out the cobs
Boring out the Tobacco Chamber
 
 
Cut and Drilled Cobs ready for Plaster
Cut and Drilled Cobs ready for Plaster
 
Once the cobs have been bored out for their tobacco chambers, they throw them in these 100+ year-old wooden bins throughout the process. The slats in these bins also help with the drying process as they go through manufacturing. 
 
First coat of Plaster
First Coat of Plaster
 
Missouri Meerchuam’s proprietary plaster originally helped the cobs stay cooler. Now, because of the size of the cobs they can grow, the plaster is more aesthetic than functional. The cobs get two coats of plaster and have to dry and be sanded in between. These guys in the picture can do just about 2,000 cobs a day. 
 
 
Sanding down the first coat
Sanding down the first coat
 
 
They then sand and smooth out the inside of the tobacco chamber. 
 
Smoothing Out The Tobacco Chamber
Smoothing Out The Tobacco Chamber
 
Each step of the way is also an opportunity for quality control. If the craftsman working on a cob sees an imperfection or issue they can’t resolve, they throw it into the “seconds” bin or chunk it entirely. 
 
2nd Coat Sanding and Polishing
2nd Coat Sanding and Polishing
 
They go through a 2nd coat and get sanded and polished.
Drilling the Shank
Drilling the Shank
 
Moving through the final steps, they drill out the hole for the shank.
 
Larger Cobs
Larger Cobs
 
Larger cobs and cobs with a specific shape go to the lathe to have their shapes more defined. 
 
 
Finishing Room
 
The standard stems are dropped in a crockpot full of hot water to warm up before being hand-bent. 
The Stem Crock-Pot
The Stem Crock-Pot
 
 
But the more fancy acrylic stems are done a bit differently: individually heated with a heat gun and then bent.
Using a Heat Gun
Using a Heat Gun
 
Lastly the cobs go through final assembly where the shanks are glued and hammered in.

 

Glue applied
Glue applied
 
Glue is applied to the shank.
 
Hammering the Shank in
Hammering the Shank in
 
Once the shank is dipped in the glue, it is gently hammered into the cob. 
 
Labels Applied
Labels Applied
 
Labels are applied at the final step.
Sorted for Shipping
Sorted for Shipping

Cobs are then thrown into bins, and set aside for sorting into shipping boxes to go out around the world. 

No Shortage of Cobs
No Shortage of Cobs

Needless to say, the past couple of years have been good growing years; there is no shortage of cobs.

 

History, Stories, and More
 

 

To the South Pole!
To the South Pole!

Looking in the display cases at the factory, you’ll find some amazing cobs and their journeys, like the picture above. This pipe went around the world and to the South Pole!

 

You’ll also find the letter from General MacArthur to the company.  MacArthur was rarely caught without this extra large corn cob pipe in his mouth in photographs.

General Douglas MacArthur
General Douglas MacArthur

 

The gentlemen at the Skillet Fork Museum set up a display in the factory and had a fantastic amount of cobs and history to share.

Display from Skillet Fork Pipe Museum
Display from Skillet Fork Pipe Museum

 

Cured in Bourbon?
Cured in Bourbon?

Missouri Meerschaum did a lot of “white-labeling” for other retailers like Wally Frank, and some of the marketing was, let’s say, misleading.  Cobs have never been aged in bourbon barrels.  

Colored Bowls
Colored Bowls

Another “mistake” was the colored bowls, which, when you smoked them, the paint started to crack and crumble off. 

1869 Henry Tibbe
1869, Henry Tibbe made the first cob for his neighbor.

 

The Thrown of Cobs
The Thrown of Cobs

To top off your tour at the factory, you can sit in the custom thrown of cobs to snap a picture.  You can stop by the factory year-round, check out the store, and get a tour and history from the nicest people who clearly love what they do. 

 

Wrapping Up

Thanks to Shannon and Brett Hoch, Phil, and Pat Morgan, and the owners for letting us ask many questions and showing us around for their 155th Anniversary. It’s a one-of-a-kind experience to travel to Washington, Missouri, and check out where the famous corn cob pipes are made. It’s pretty eye-opening to see how much work it takes to bring those cobs from the ground to your mouth to smoke your favorite tobacco. 




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