Armour Star Franks founder interred in Woodlawn
REPRINTED FROM 12-01-2011
BRONX TIMES REPORTER, J BTR ANUARY 4-10, 2019 35
You would have to be a senior
citizen to remember when Armour
Star Franks was among
the most popular brands of hot
dogs in America. The company
was established by the
Armour brothers in Chicago
in 1867 as a slaughterhouse and
meat packing company. They
soon opened another huge facility
in Omaha and became
the largest such business in the
country. There were numerous
problems along the way as
they were cited for poor quality
products and numerous labor
violations as well as unionbusting
tactics. Perhaps due
to their huge size and government
contracts, they managed
to survive and grow.
They also capitalized on
their by-products such as hides
and entrails, etc. They manufactured
such diverse items as
oleomargarine, glue, fertilizer,
and even buttons. Nothing
went to waste. Among the reasons
also often cited for their
success are their brilliant advertising
techniques. When
they introduced Dial soap in
1948, they insisted that the
page bearing their advertisement
have a scent embedded
into it. They also put a germicide
into the soap to kill germs
for 24 hours to keep those washing
with it fresh all day long.
Now you know why they chose
the name Dial.
They adopted the slogan
“Aren’t you glad you use Dial?
Don’t you wish everyone did?”
in 1953. Needless to say, it became
the best selling soap in
the country.
Their advertising included
all the favorite pastimes of the
day including, of course, baseball
and Mickey Mantle was
their top choice to help push
their products. When it was
obvious that cowboy and Indian
programs were becoming
a huge success on television in
1954, they introduced trading
cards featuring famous Indians
such as Geronimo, Kicking
Bear and Low Dog. The back
of each card featured Sioux
phrases that the children could
easily learn.
Another popular craze that
they employed in their advertising
was the use of pins to place
on your jacket or hat with witty
sayings. There were dozens of
them which included popular
puns of the day such as “Don’t
get tough, powder puff,” “Cruisin’
for a bruisin’ ,” and “Crazy
man, crazy.” You may recall
some others including “Cool
Cat,” “Real Gone,” “Date Bait,”
“Be a Doll,” or “Live it up.” The
pins were about one inch in diameter,
two colors and were
popular through the 1950s.
I asked a few younger people
if they ever heard of Armour
Star Franks and all I got were
blank stares. The company has
had so many spin-offs and has
been sold and re-sold so many
times that the Armour brothers
wouldn’t recognize it if they
saw it today. The Indian trading
cards and the pins bearing
the witty sayings are now collector’s
items but you can still
buy Dial soap. Some things last
and some things don’t.
Another reminder of the
company that has survived is
the impressive mausoleum of
Herman Ossian Armour (1837-
1901). You will fi nd it right
here in the Bronx in Woodlawn
Cemetery. It is located on
Chestnut Avenue in the Chestnut
Hill section near the Jerome
Avenue entrance and you
won’t be disappointed with the
view. It was designed by James
Renwick who also designed St.
Patrick’s Cathedral on Fifth
Avenue.
Armour Star Franks trading cards
featuring Native Americans were
introduced in 1954. This one features
Low Dog, a Sioux Sub Chief.