FoundSF

Historical Essay

—Images and description courtesy Historical Society of South San Francisco

Straddling the swaying rear platform as the Old 40 Streetcar left Holy Cross Station, the conductor would call out, “Next stop, the home of the quacks!” And, the 19.7 acres of Otto H. Reichardt Duck Farm was home for … thousands White Pekings.

Now the site of El Camino High School, the Duck Farm was founded by Otto Reichardt and his wife, Amalia in 1910. Coincidentally, in 1901, the original Duck Farm was located on Onondega Avenue, across from the present Balboa High School.

The Reichardt family resided on the Farm above the brown-shingled archway emblazoned with the white sign “Otto H. Reichardt Duck Farm.” In later years the Moresco family lived in the upstairs quarters, the Meloni family dwelt in the rooms above the office and Mr. and Mrs. Charles Theilman’s home was the cottage in the rear.

In the Brooder house (hatchery) fuzzy yellow ducklings peeped constantly. From the font of the Farm, almost to Hillside Boulevard, thousands of waddling white ducks … resembled a rolling snow-capped sea.

In a barren room in the scale house, a dozen pickers sat, in a semi-circle, on wooden benches. With their hair well hidden under kerchiefs, the ladies chatted in Italian as their ravenous fingers devoured pinfeathers and downy swirls covered their high-top shoes and cold, hard floor.

To the side of the office was a Bocci Ball court the men enjoyed during their lunch hour, on Sundays, and after feeding time. The bookkeeper, from the office window, viewed the passing streetcars and cruising automobiles on Old Mission Road.

About 50 workers employed at the Farm included 4-6 teamsters, the bookkeeper, the night watchman, the ranch hands, the foreman and the owners.

After the SSFUSD purchased the land from the Reichardt family in February 1959, The demolition of the Farm began in September of that year.”

Otto Reichardt and his ducks