Food

Part of a nation's history lies in what people eat. Artifacts at the Museum document the history of food in the United States from farm machinery to diet fads.

More than 1,300 pieces of stoneware and earthenware show how Americans have stored, prepared, and served food for centuries. Ovens, cookie cutters, kettles, aprons, and ice-cream-making machines are part of the collections, along with home canning jars and winemaking equipment. More than 1,000 objects recently came to the Museum when author and cooking show host Julia Child donated her entire kitchen, from appliances to cookbooks.

Advertising and business records of several food companies—such as Hills Brothers Coffee, Pepsi Cola, and Campbell's Soup—represent the commercial side of the subject

Ira Wertman, a farmer in Andreas, Pennsylvania, raised fruits and vegetables and peddled them with this truck to retired coal miners near Allentown. He also used the truck to take produce to market and haul supplies from town to the farm.
Description
Ira Wertman, a farmer in Andreas, Pennsylvania, raised fruits and vegetables and peddled them with this truck to retired coal miners near Allentown. He also used the truck to take produce to market and haul supplies from town to the farm. Pickup trucks have been versatile aids to a wide range of agricultural, personal, and business activities. Early pickup trucks were modified automobiles, but postwar models were larger, more powerful, and able to carry heavier loads. Some postwar pickups were used in building suburban communities. Others were used for recreational purposes such as camping, hunting, and fishing. By the 1990s, many people purchased pickups for everyday driving.
date made
1949
maker
General Motors Corporation
ID Number
1999.0057.01
accession number
1999.0057
catalog number
1999.0057.01
Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
date designed
1954
date made
c.1954
date produced
ca. 1960
designer
Kogan, Belle
maker
Gailstyn Company
ID Number
1992.0257.11D
catalog number
1992.0257.11D
accession number
1992.0257
Physical DescriptionPrinted on cardboard.General HistoryHershey's Milk Chocolate box that held candy bars.
Description
Physical Description
Printed on cardboard.
General History
Hershey's Milk Chocolate box that held candy bars.
date made
1943
associated dates
1941-1945
maker
Hershey Chocolate Corporation
ID Number
1992.3112.01
catalog number
1992.3112.01
nonaccession number
1992.3112
Frederick Eugene Ives (1856–1937) was a brilliant man interested in patenting his ideas (the first in 1881), but not so much in licensing them. Ives's first three-color single exposure camera was patented in 1899.
Description
Frederick Eugene Ives (1856–1937) was a brilliant man interested in patenting his ideas (the first in 1881), but not so much in licensing them. Ives's first three-color single exposure camera was patented in 1899. Over the next thirty years, Ives patented a variety of cameras and printing processes for color photography. After the Smithsonian hosted a show of Ives's photography company's work in late 1949 or early 1950, Associate Curator Alexander Wedderburn selected five prints for the color photography portion of the Photographic History Collection. This photograph represents the culmination of Ives's long series of patents and work with color photography.
Location
Currently not on view
Date made
1940s
maker
Ives Color Processes, Inc.
ID Number
PG.004680
accession number
187952
catalog number
4680
This soap shipping crate label was used by Benjamin Brooke & Company of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania during the early 20th century. Benjamin Brooke & Company produced high quality hand soaps in Philadelphia.Currently not on view
Description (Brief)
This soap shipping crate label was used by Benjamin Brooke & Company of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania during the early 20th century. Benjamin Brooke & Company produced high quality hand soaps in Philadelphia.
Location
Currently not on view
referenced business
Benjamin Brooke & Co.
ID Number
1979.0441.220
catalog number
1979.0441.220
accession number
1979.0441
Basin-bowl porringer with beaded rim and flat bottom with foot ring; integrally cast Pennsylvania-type solid tab handle without bracket is stamped "[H?] H" in incuse serif letters on front flanking a large pierced hole at top center. No other marks.Currently not on view
Description
Basin-bowl porringer with beaded rim and flat bottom with foot ring; integrally cast Pennsylvania-type solid tab handle without bracket is stamped "[H?] H" in incuse serif letters on front flanking a large pierced hole at top center. No other marks.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
ca 1780 - 1800
ID Number
1986.0027.88
catalog number
1986.0027.88
accession number
1986.0027
This white, cylindrical tin with green and pink writing and a pink design once contained Plantation Mint Straws, made by Plantation Chocolate Company of Philadelphia.Sweet treats have been a part of the human diet nearly since the beginning of human existence.
Description
This white, cylindrical tin with green and pink writing and a pink design once contained Plantation Mint Straws, made by Plantation Chocolate Company of Philadelphia.
Sweet treats have been a part of the human diet nearly since the beginning of human existence. The type of treat has changed over time, but human desire for sweetness has not. Candy can be hard or chewy, may or may not contain chocolate and can be sweet or sour. Sugar cane was introduced to Europeans when crusaders brought the substance back from the Middle East, and it was with these Europeans that sugar gained its highly prized status as an art form and a gift to be given away on special occasions. A status that persists to this day when a suitor gives their beloved chocolate for Valentine’s Day.
At one time, small family owned confectionary shops dominated the American landscape. Opening a candy making business was a relatively low cost investment, all one needed was a kitchen and a basket to sell their treats from on the street. As demand grew, they could grow their business. Today, many of these small businesses have been absorbed into large corporations who command a much greater market power. Breath mints gained popularity because of how they felt cool and refreshing in the mouth while also freshening one’s breath. Peppermint was also considered a digestive aid, and mint leaves and breath mints were often chewed after a meal.
Location
Currently not on view
ID Number
AG.77-FT-15.0292
catalog number
77-FT-15.0292
accession number
283681
This shipping crate side was used by Barker, Moore & Mein Medicine Company of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania during the early 20th century. The crate contained a half dozen bottles, sold for 84 cents.
Description (Brief)
This shipping crate side was used by Barker, Moore & Mein Medicine Company of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania during the early 20th century. The crate contained a half dozen bottles, sold for 84 cents. The Barker, Moore & Mein Medicine Company sold a variety of powders and liniments for medicinal purposes, and were well-known for their “Komic” picture souvenirs that depicted a variety of mishaps that could be solved by the company’s products.
Location
Currently not on view
referenced business
Barker, Moore & Mein Medicine Company
ID Number
1979.0441.146
accession number
1979.0441
catalog number
1979.0441.146
Physical DescriptionPaper candy wrapper over candy bar.General HistoryIn 1943, the procurement division of the army inquired about the possibility of obtaining a heat-resistant chocolate bar with an improved flavor.
Description
Physical Description
Paper candy wrapper over candy bar.
General History
In 1943, the procurement division of the army inquired about the possibility of obtaining a heat-resistant chocolate bar with an improved flavor. After a short period of experimentation, Hershey's Tropical Chocolate Bar in both one- and two-ounce sizes was added to the list of war production items. This bar was destined to exceed all other items in the tonnage produced. The Army-Navy "E" Production Award was given to Hershey Chocolate Corporation on August 22, 1942, in recognition of its outstanding war effort. The corporation received a flag to fly above the chocolate plant and a lapel pin for every employee. The award was presented for exceeding all production expectations in the manufacturing of an Emergency Field Ration. The “E” production award was not easily won nor lightly bestowed. The award recognized companies that consistently met high standards of quality and quantity in light of available resources. Major General Edmund Gregory said of Hershey, "The men and women of Hershey Chocolate Corporation have every reason to be proud of their great work in backing up our soldiers on the fighting fronts." In all, the Hershey Chocolate Corporation received five Army-Navy "E" awards.
date made
1943
maker
Hershey Chocolate Corporation
ID Number
1977.0865.07
catalog number
1977.0865.07
accession number
1977.0865
catalog number
80015M
The Trojan Powder Company of Allentown, P.A. was founded around the turn on the 20th century. The development of dynamite, TNT, and other explosives were important for the building of the nation, as well as for its military applications in World War I.
Description (Brief)
The Trojan Powder Company of Allentown, P.A. was founded around the turn on the 20th century. The development of dynamite, TNT, and other explosives were important for the building of the nation, as well as for its military applications in World War I. Trojan was important for its discovery of Nitrostarch, which was used in grenades and mortar shells.
Location
Currently not on view
referenced business
Trojan Powder Co.
ID Number
1979.0441.339
catalog number
1979.0441.339
accession number
1979.0441
Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
date designed
1954
date made
c.1954
date produced
ca. 1960
associated dates
1992 06 02 / 1992 06 02
maker
Gailstyn Company
designer
Kogan, Belle
ID Number
1992.0257.11A.ab
accession number
1992.0257
catalog number
1992.0257.11Aab
This shipping crate side originally contained an “Around-the –Corner” 3-door complete garage set manufactured by the McKinney Manufacturing Company of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania during the early 20th century.
Description (Brief)
This shipping crate side originally contained an “Around-the –Corner” 3-door complete garage set manufactured by the McKinney Manufacturing Company of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania during the early 20th century. The McKinney Manufacturing Company mainly focused on selling hinges, but marketed these complete garage door sets that could be assembled in a variety of ways during the early 20th century
Location
Currently not on view
referenced business
McKinney Mfg. Co.
ID Number
1979.0441.322
catalog number
1979.0441.322
accession number
1979.0441
A poster listing 6 ways to use food responsibly in support of the war effort.
Description
A poster listing 6 ways to use food responsibly in support of the war effort.
associated
United States Food Administration
ID Number
ZZ.RSN81724Y40
Dougherty's Pure Rye Whiskey was manufactured by John A. Dougherty & Son of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania since 1849. In 1866 John A. Dougherty died and the company was renamed to J. A. Dougherty’s & Sons.
Description
Dougherty's Pure Rye Whiskey was manufactured by John A. Dougherty & Son of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania since 1849. In 1866 John A. Dougherty died and the company was renamed to J. A. Dougherty’s & Sons. The family company found great success, but divested their interest during the Prohibition years when the Dougherty Distillery & Warehouse Company, Inc. sold whiskey for medicinal use. The “for medicinal use” and Dougherty Distillery & Warehouse Company, Inc. labels date this bottle of whiskey to the Prohibition years between 1920 and 1933. The label on the back of the bottle reads "Rx Spiritus Frumenti," the official medicinal name for whiskey, and "For medicinal purposes only. Sale or use for other purposes will cause heavy penalties to be inflicted."
date made
before1920-01-17
maker
Dougherty Distillery and Warehouse Company, Inc.
ID Number
2012.0027.02
accession number
2012.0027
catalog number
2012.0027.02
This oval tin is black, yellow, green and red in a plaid design. Green and black are used for lettering. The lid contains the name of the product as well as the manufacturing company. Brandle & Smith Co.
Description
This oval tin is black, yellow, green and red in a plaid design. Green and black are used for lettering. The lid contains the name of the product as well as the manufacturing company. Brandle & Smith Co. was formed in 1895 in Philadelphia, and the company has since been either bought by another company or gone out of business.
Sweet treats have been a part of the human diet nearly since the beginning of human existence. The type of treat has changed over time, but human desire for sweetness has not. Candy can be hard or chewy, may or may not contain chocolate and can be sweet or sour. Sugar cane was introduced to Europeans when crusaders brought the substance back from the Middle East, and it was with these Europeans that sugar gained its highly prized status as an art form and a gift to be given away on special occasions. A status that persists to this day when a suitor gives their beloved chocolate for Valentine’s Day.
At one time, small family owned confectionary shops dominated the American landscape. Opening a candy making business was a relatively low cost investment, all one needed was a kitchen and a basket to sell their treats from on the street. As demand grew, they could grow their business. Today, many of these small businesses have been absorbed into large corporations who command a much greater market power.
Location
Currently not on view
ID Number
AG.77-FT-15.0126
catalog number
77-FT-15.0126
accession number
283681
Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
date made
ca 1860
ID Number
DL.332330
catalog number
332330
accession number
94381
This large, red rectangular tin with black design was used to store and market Whitman's lime juice drops.
Description
This large, red rectangular tin with black design was used to store and market Whitman's lime juice drops. The name of the product and manufacturing company is written in black lettering across the front.
Stephen Whitman opened his first candy shop in 1842 at the age of 19 in Philadelphia. In this location, he had easy access to exotic ingredients brought in on docking ships. While striving to produce a quality product, he also knew the power of marketing and spent a great deal of time and money on branding as well as marketing his goods. The company thrived through the years, even outlasting the Great Depression, with products still sold under the name today despite being bought in 1993 by Russell Stover.
Sweet treats have been a part of the human diet nearly since the beginning of human existence. The type of treat has changed over time, but human desire for sweetness has not. Candy can be hard or chewy, may or may not contain chocolate and can be sweet or sour. Sugar cane was introduced to Europeans when crusaders brought the substance back from the Middle East, and it was with these Europeans that sugar gained its highly prized status as an art form and a gift to be given away on special occasions. A status that persists to this day when a suitor gives their beloved chocolate for Valentine’s Day. Early pharmacists also often used sugar to mask the bitter tastes of their medical concoctions or prescribed sugar as a cure for an ailment itself.
At one time, small family owned confectionary shops dominated the American landscape. Opening a candy making business was a relatively low cost investment, all one needed was a kitchen and a basket to sell their treats from on the street. As demand grew, they could grow their business. Today, many of these small businesses have been absorbed into large corporations who command a much greater market power.
Location
Currently not on view
maker
Whitman's Chocolate Company
ID Number
ZZ.RSN80525Z40
This small, red, rectangular tin with multicolored vignette of a man and woman in a gold frame was used to store and market Hershey's chocolate.Milton Snavely Hershey, the “Henry Ford of chocolate makers,” got an early start in the candy business by apprenticing at a local candy
Description
This small, red, rectangular tin with multicolored vignette of a man and woman in a gold frame was used to store and market Hershey's chocolate.
Milton Snavely Hershey, the “Henry Ford of chocolate makers,” got an early start in the candy business by apprenticing at a local candy shop in Lancaster, PA. After several rocky starts to open his own business, he finally found success with the Lancaster Caramel Company. In 1893 at the World’s Fair in Chicago, Hershey’s life would take a radical turn. He visited a chocolate making exhibit by J. M. Lehmann, a German company, and was introduced to European chocolate production. At the conclusion of the Exposition, he purchased all of Lehman’s equipment and had it shipped to Lancaster so he could enrobe his caramels in chocolate. By 1900, he had determined his future would be with chocolate and sold his caramel company to a competitor.
When his new factory opened, he launched the Hershey’s Milk Chocolate Bar, following up his initial success with the Milk Chocolate Bar with Almonds and the Hershey’s Kiss a few years later. Hershey quickly became the largest chocolate producer in the United States. At the same time he was growing his business, Hershey was also building his model company town, Hershey, PA. He built homes for his employees to purchase, a free school, free public library and many other services which he ran at low costs for his employees. He also established the Hershey Industrial School for Orphan Boys, which later became the Milton Hershey School. Milton Hershey’s goal was to create a model town of Utopian living for his employees and their families.
Chocolate had been known and treasured by Native Americans in Central and South America for thousands of years prior to the arrival of the first Spanish explorers in the late 1400s and early 1500s. Cacao beans were so highly prized by Mayans and Aztecs that they were used as currency in many areas of the Americas. When first taken back to Europe by the Spanish, the chocolate drink continued to be produced exclusively for the enjoyment of royalty or the extremely wealthy. As the cacao bean gradually made its presence known throughout Europe, it still remained trapped in this exclusive section of society well into the 19th century.
The chocolate trade to North America began more than 300 years ago, primarily centered in or near major port cities of the time, such as New York City, Boston, Philadelphia and Newport, RI. Due to lower transportation costs, chocolate was often less expensive in the Americas than in Europe and therefore had a broader consumer base. The Industrial Revolution radically changed chocolate production and helped propel it into the hearts and stomachs of the working class. Instead of being a labor intensive product, it became entirely machine made reducing costs even further in the late 19th and early 20th century. During this time, chocolate went from being something a person drank to being something to eat, finally becoming a treat for the masses.
Location
Currently not on view
maker
Hershey Company
ID Number
ZZ.RSN80525Z45
This round, blue tin with gold writing was used to store and market Bowers Old Fastioned Creamy Mints. The lid contains the name of the product as well as a list of ingredients.Sweet treats have been a part of the human diet nearly since the beginning of human existence.
Description
This round, blue tin with gold writing was used to store and market Bowers Old Fastioned Creamy Mints. The lid contains the name of the product as well as a list of ingredients.
Sweet treats have been a part of the human diet nearly since the beginning of human existence. The type of treat has changed over time, but human desire for sweetness has not. Candy can be hard or chewy, may or may not contain chocolate and can be sweet or sour. Sugar cane was introduced to Europeans when crusaders brought the substance back from the Middle East, and it was with these Europeans that sugar gained its highly prized status as an art form and a gift to be given away on special occasions. A status that persists to this day when a suitor gives their beloved chocolate for Valentine’s Day. Early pharmacists also often used sugar to mask the bitter tastes of their medical concoctions or prescribed sugar as a cure for an ailment itself.
At one time, small family owned confectionary shops dominated the American landscape. Opening a candy making business was a relatively low cost investment, all one needed was a kitchen and a basket to sell their treats from on the street. As demand grew, they could grow their business. Today, many of these small businesses have been absorbed into large corporations who command a much greater market power. Breath mints gained popularity because of the way they felt cool and refreshing in the mouth while also freshening one’s breath. Peppermint was also considered a digestive aid, and mint leaves and breath mints were often chewed after a meal.
Location
Currently not on view
ID Number
ZZ.RSN80544Z87
This viscometer was designed by Edward J. Stormer, chief chemist of the Case Threshing Machine Co. in Racine, Wisconsin.
Description
This viscometer was designed by Edward J. Stormer, chief chemist of the Case Threshing Machine Co. in Racine, Wisconsin. In 1909 it was described as “distinctly new in design, and since it comes from a practical chemist who has found it superior to other forms in making a large number of determinations daily, it may be expected to appeal to other practical men.” And indeed it did. Stormer viscosimeters were soon being used for paint, clay slips, and pyroxylin solutions, as well as for corn, catsup, and cod liver oil.
Stormer’s original viscosimeter consisted of a falling weight that caused something to rotate at constant speed through a viscous liquid held at a constant temperature. Viscosity would be expressed either in terms of the number of rotations in a given time, or the time needed to make a number of rotations. By 1914, Arthur H. Thomas was offering Stormers with a rotating cylinder, and this basic form remains available to this day.
Inscriptions on this example read “ARTHUR H. THOMAS CO. PHILADELPHIA, PA.” and “FISHER SCIENTIFIC CO. PITTSBURGH, PA. USA.” The Metal Products Division of Koppers Co., Inc., donated it to NMAH in 1976. It was apparently used to determine the consistency of canned corn.
Location
Currently not on view
distributor; retailer
Arthur H. Thomas Company
maker
Fisher Scientific Company
Arthur H. Thomas Company
ID Number
CH.336370
accession number
1978.0078
catalog number
336370
Figural fruit dish with a tapered rectangular base on four bracket feet that is ornamented with a scallop-edged, shell-shape barge or boat on scrolling flowered supports being paddled by a female deity or fairy with star diadem standing atop a flower on the prow.
Description
Figural fruit dish with a tapered rectangular base on four bracket feet that is ornamented with a scallop-edged, shell-shape barge or boat on scrolling flowered supports being paddled by a female deity or fairy with star diadem standing atop a flower on the prow. Festoons of laurel leaves and berries hang from the boat's sides. Stamped and chased aesthetic-style designs fill the boat's interior and border the base. A die-rolled band of floral medallions covers the base's sides and additional flowers and large beads adorn its feet. Elements are individually cast and screwed into the base. Underside of base is struck incuse near center with two circular rampant lion marks for "MERIDEN SILVER PLATE CO.", one covered by the X support for the feet and the other deliberately engraved over. The number "4521" is stamped below these marks while a circular plate for "GEO. EAKINS. / PHILADLEPHIA" is affixed above and "41" is engraved to the left.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
ca 1877
ID Number
1978.0340.01
accession number
1978.0340
catalog number
1978.0340.01
This shipping crate label contained Roxborough brand crackers, cakes, and biscuits produced by Henry Wanklin’s bakery in Roxborough, Philadelphia during the early 20th century. The crate label has an image of a cracker on the left with an illustration of a sheath of grain.
Description (Brief)
This shipping crate label contained Roxborough brand crackers, cakes, and biscuits produced by Henry Wanklin’s bakery in Roxborough, Philadelphia during the early 20th century. The crate label has an image of a cracker on the left with an illustration of a sheath of grain. The label calls the Wanklin’s bakery a steam bakery.
Location
Currently not on view
referenced business
Roxborough Steam Bakery
ID Number
1979.0441.340
catalog number
1979.0441.340
accession number
1979.0441
Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
date designed
1954
date made
c.1954
date produced
ca. 1960
designer
Kogan, Belle
maker
Gailstyn Company
ID Number
1992.0257.11B.ab
accession number
1992.0257
catalog number
1992.0257.11Bab
Currently not on view
Location
Currently not on view
date designed
1954
date made
c.1954
date produced
ca. 1960
designer
Kogan, Belle
maker
Gailstyn Company
ID Number
1992.0257.11C
catalog number
1992.0257.11C
accession number
1992.0257

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