This historic photograph shows Richard D. Thompson on the left with his father, Grover Cleveland (G.C.) Thompson, Jr. (1925-2007), on the right. G.C. was a prominent dairy and livestock farmer and community leader who lived in Gala north of Eagle Rock. He served on the Board of Directors for The Bank of Fincastle, Dominion Bank, the Roanoke-Hollins Stockyard and the Botetourt County Board of Supervisors.
In the photo they are holding a bag of their hybrid corn which they developed for its resistance to disease. The sale of this locally developed Thompson Seed Corn for grain and silage allowed farmers to purchase varieties that increased their productivity and performance. Farmers didn’t have to rely solely on saving kernels of corn from year to year to plant. This demonstrates how Botetourt farmers, seed companies and agricultural researchers contributed to the ongoing effort to improve crops and modernize agriculture throughout the 20th century.
The photo is on loan from Richard Thompson, who continues to own and operate the family farm where this corn is grown. It is on display at the Botetourt Museum of History & Culture in the Home Grown: Botetourt’s Agricultural History exhibit.
By examining and learning the stories of local farmers, a new appreciation for Botetourt’s history will be gained. Agriculture is still one of the most important businesses in Virginia. “No Farm, No Food.”
~ Botetourt County Museum of History & Culture
