The Tom Huston Peanut Museum

The story of a local inventor Tom Huston, who revolutionized the peanut shelling process in the early 20th century.

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Growing up on the farm

Tom Huston spent his younger years on a farm in Henderson, Texas where his daily work sparked within him the drive to invent a mechanical peanut sheller.

Mass-producing peanut shellers

By 1912, his hand operated sheller would bring him to Columbus, Georgia to work with Columbus Iron Works for production of his incredible invention. He formed a partnership with Clarence Medley and built the Tom Huston Manufacturing Company which would later become the Medley Manufacturing Company.


The plant manufactured a power-driven peanut sheller designed by Tom Huston and the same technology was used until 1976 when it was replaced by computerized design.

tom huston peanut museum

The Tom Huston Peanut Company

In April of 1925, the Tom Huston Peanut Company began operating in a shotgun building located on 32nd Street in Columbus, Georgia. The company initially sold only one product and that was a bag of salted, toasted peanuts. Tom patented the single-serve glassine bag that would become a signature with its narrow and tall design. Stop by and check out the Tom Huston Peanut Museum and the other historic collections today!