Emmet Nuckolls: The Visionary & Founder of the Nuckolls Packing Company
Emmet Nuckolls (1844 - 1910)
Today we begin a series of articles featuring the stories of the individuals who brought innovation and creativity to the Grove neighborhood in Pueblo, Colorado USA.
Emmet Nuckolls was born in 1844 and lost both parents at the early age of six. His older brother was given the task of guardianship and throughout his formative years, he drove cattle throughout the Great Plains. His exposure to animals at such a young age would shape his vision for the future. Emmet was on the first cattle drive from Texas to Colorado on the Goodnight Loving Trail and during the ride he repeatedly told others that he would someday build the largest and most sophisticated slaughter and meat packing facility in the West.
Before establishing his butchering business in Leadville, Colorado his first exposure to life in Pueblo was from 1873 to 1878 when he enjoyed the favorable climate of the ‘big city’ atmosphere. Leadville proved to be a good business decision with it booming economy driven by the Guggenheim family and their large silver mines in the region. From 1879 to 1890, cattle became plentiful and provided ample meat to American consumers. In 1891 he decided to follow the Guggenheim’s lead and return to Pueblo to establish the first generation of the Nuckolls Packing Company.
In 1909 Emmet Nuckolls created quite a political stir in the community when he decided to run for Mayor in a rather unorthodox manner. As a registered Democrat he started talking like a Republican and in a surprise move he called a parade and announced his Independent candidacy. While this ruffled the political feathers of many in the community, he also received wide support from others who saw him as a visionary and challenger to the status quo on the frontier.
Unfortunately Emmet never realized his dream of building the largest and most modern meat packing facility. He fell three stories into one of the lower pens at the packing plant and shattered his hip. After a fourteen day vigil in the hospital the Chieftain announced in one of its largest headlines that ‘Death Called’.