Site of Propagation of the Thompson Seedless Grape

The grape was old long before William Thompson grafted it here. It is the sultana of Asia Minor and the kishmish of Iran, and it reached him through English glasshouses as Lady de Coverly: of three cuttings ordered from a New York nursery in 1872, one lived. Shown at Marysville in 1875, it took his name. The Thompson Seedless now makes nearly all of California's raisins, most of them grown far south of this field, around Fresno. The 1980 bronze stands in a stone pier beside Highway 20.

What the plaque says

Site of Propagation of the Thompson Seedless Grape William Thompson, an Englishman, and his family settled here in 1863. In 1872 he sent to New York for three cuttings called Lady de Coverly of which only one survived. The grape, first publicly displayed in Marysville in 1875, became known as Thompson's seedless grape. Today thousands of acres have been planted in California for the production of raisins, bulk wine and table grapes. California Registered Historical Landmark No. 929 Plaque placed by the State Department of Parks and Recreation in cooperation with the family of William Thompson and Wm. Bull Meek-Wm. Stewart Chapter No. 10, E Clampus Vitus, September 12, 1980.

Where it stands

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