Image from visitsouth.com
Viking Range is a stove company based in Greenwood, Mississippi that was started by Fred Carl and his wife Margaret when they were looking for the perfect stove for their new house. Realizing that they couldn’t put an industrial restaurant range in their house, they went to work designing a stove that would have the power and durability of a restaurant range with the control and safety suitable for a home.
By 1981 Carl, a building contractor, had drawn up plans for a hybrid gas stove and decided that the idea was good enough to sell to the general public, if he could find a manufacturer. He finally found a willing company in California, and by 1986 the first prototype of the Viking range was completed and ready for the public.
Demand quickly proved to be too much for the small company to handle, so Viking opened a plant in Greenwood. The company has expanded into other kitchen appliance markets , and the plant itself has evolved into an integral part of the Greenwood community. Tours of the Viking range facilities are offered, as are cooking classes showcasing regional food.