Marion S. Whaley Citrus Packing House facts for kids
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Marion S. Whaley Citrus Packing House
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Formerly listed on the U.S. National Register of Historic Places
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 Location in Florida
Location in the United States
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| Location | 2275 South US Highway 1 Rockledge, Florida |
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| Built | 1930 |
| Architectural style | Vernacular, Frame |
| NRHP reference No. | 93000286 |
Quick facts for kids Significant dates |
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| Added to NRHP | April 08, 1993 |
| Removed from NRHP | January 26, 2021 |
The Marion S. Whaley Citrus Packing House was a special building in Rockledge, Florida. It was also known as the Sullivan Brothers Victory Groves Citrus Packing House. This building was where oranges and other citrus fruits were prepared for shipping. It was located at 2275 U.S. 1. Because of its history, it was added to the National Register of Historic Places in the United States on April 8, 1993. This means it was recognized as an important historical site.
History of the Packing House
The Marion S. Whaley Citrus Packing House was first built in 1928. The Whaley family owned it and used it to pack citrus fruits. After World War II, it was renamed the Whaley Victory Groves Packing House. This name honored the victory in the war.
In 1960, the Sullivan family bought the packing house. Their old packing house in Cocoa Village had burned down. The Sullivan family renamed the building the Sullivan Victory Groves Packing House. They also made the building bigger several times.
Over time, the citrus business faced many challenges. Some orange groves were bought by NASA for space programs. There were also outbreaks of Citrus canker, a plant disease that harms citrus trees. Very cold weather also damaged the orange crops. These problems caused the packing house business to slow down.
The packing house closed for good in 1991. It was added to the U.S. National Register of Historic Places on April 8, 1993. This protected it as a historic site.
In 2020, city inspectors in Rockledge, Florida said the building was unsafe. Demolition of the packing house began on July 16, 2020. It was removed from the National Register of Historic Places in 2021.
