Pompano's first packing house for locally-grown produce was established in the early 1900s by J. H. Chapman, Sr. He had been sent to Pompano by Sligh & Company of Pensacola to build and run the packing house.

Chapman was originally from California, but arrived in South Florida in the 1890s, gaining experience by working in a pineapple packing plant in Miami.

In 1904, he married Annabelle McNab and later acquired a large amount of acreage here for farming.