Food - Overview
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
"Food - Overview" showing 1632 items.
Page 1 of 164
Dolphin-shaped ice cream mold
- Description
- This dolphin is one of 14 pewter ice cream molds donated to the Museum in 1972 by Foremost-McKesson, Inc., of San Francisco, California. Other forms include a lion, a butterfly, an elephant, and patriotic symbols such as an eagle, Uncle Sam, the Liberty Bell, and George Washington in profile. Like the majority of the molds in the collection, the dolphin was manufactured by Eppelsheimer & Co. of New York.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- maker
- Eppelsheimer & Co.
- ID Number
- AG*72A1.5
- catalog number
- 72A1.5
- accession number
- 298969
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History, Kenneth E. Behring Center
Fruit jar for home canning
- Description
- The Ball jar is emblematic of American home-canning history. This quart-sized, molded, "Ball blue" glass jar was manufactured by the Ball Brothers Company of Muncie, Indiana. It has a glass lid with a wire bail closure. The phrase "PAT'D July 14, 1908" is stamped on the jar, indicating the patent date for the particular fastening location of the jar's wire locking lever. The "Ideal" design was discontinued in 1962. The Ball brothers began manufacturing fruit jars in 1884; in 1993, Ball Corporation sold its home canning business to Alltrista (now Jarden) Corporation.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- maker
- Ball Brothers
- ID Number
- AG*76-FT-01.1419
- accession number
- 322793
- catalog number
- 76-FT-01.1419
- collector/donor number
- 4656
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History, Kenneth E. Behring Center
Bread Box
- Description
- This box was used to transport loaves of bread by wagon or train from Meinburg's Bakery of Washington DC to establishments in the city and outlying counties. Delivering goods by rail meant a larger customer base for businesses like this bakery. After reaching its destination and unloaded, the grocery would return the box to the bakery where it was reloaded for another shipment.
- The box is constructed of wood with rope handles and could be carried by one person. The box is numbered so agents could track the shipment.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- date made
- 1890-1900
- ID Number
- 1985.0709.01
- accession number
- 1985.0709
- catalog number
- 1985.0709.01
- 85.0709.01
- accession number
- 1985.0709
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History, Kenneth E. Behring Center
Swanson TV Dinner Tray
- Description
- The TV dinner represented a change in the way Americans were thinking about food. Introduced in 1954 by Swanson & Sons, of Omaha, Nebraska, it offered women--more and more of whom were working outside the home but still assumed to be responsible for cooking--an alternative to time-consuming meal preparations. The prepackaged TV dinner appealed to busy families because it required little time or effort and yet provided a well-balanced, nutritious meal.
- maker
- Swanson Company
- ID Number
- 1987.0265.01
- accession number
- 1987.0265
- catalog number
- 1987.0265.01
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History, Kenneth E. Behring Center
Tarter Sauce Ratchet Gun
- Description
- This hand held condiment dispenser is primarily of metal construction, with a tartar sauce canister inserted into the tray. The canister is constructed of white cardboard with green lettering, which says “McDonald’s® Tartar Sauce” with McDonald’s® double arches logo. This canister holds 25 fluid ounces of tartar sauce. The McDonald’s® Corporation was well known for developing their own kitchen tools to create higher rates of standardization between locations and produce food products at greater efficiency. This dispenser would distribute precisely the correct amount of tartar sauce for each Filet-O-Fish™ sandwich.
- The McDonald’s Corporation is one of the most recognizable hamburger restaurants in the United States. As of 2011, the McDonald’s Corporation and franchisees were operating in 119 countries with 1.9 million employees, making it the 4th largest employer in the world.
- In 1940, Richard (Dick) and Maurice (Mac) McDonald opened the first McDonald’s Bar-B-Q drive-in restaurant in San Bernardino, California. In 1948, the brothers redesigned their menu, centering on the 15 cent hamburger. In 1954, Ray Kroc, a Multimixer (milkshake machine) salesman, became interested in the McDonalds brothers’ high volume restaurant. He worked out a deal with the brothers to be their franchising agent and opened the first franchise location in Illinois the following year. Under Kroc’s direction, the company grew to become the giant we know today.
- maker
- Prince Castle
- ID Number
- 1991.0324.02A
- catalog number
- 1991.0324.02A
- accession number
- 1991.0324
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History, Kenneth E. Behring Center
French Fry Scoop
- Description
- This object is a right-handed, stainless steel French fry scoop with a black plastic handle. On the reverse, writing etched into the scoop says “Bagging Scoop.” This scoop, used by right-handed employees, was designed to dispense a precise amount of French fries to create uniformity between servings in the quickest, most efficient way possible.
- The McDonald’s Corporation is one of the most recognizable hamburger restaurants in the United States. As of 2011, the McDonald’s Corporation and franchisees were operating in 119 countries with 1.9 million employees, making it the 4th largest employer in the world.
- In 1940, Richard (Dick) and Maurice (Mac) McDonald opened the first McDonald’s Bar-B-Q drive-in restaurant in San Bernardino, California. In 1948, the brothers redesigned their menu, centering on the 15 cent hamburger. In 1954, Ray Kroc, a Multimixer (milkshake machine) salesman, became interested in the McDonalds brothers’ high volume restaurant. He worked out a deal with the brothers to be their franchising agent and opened the first franchise location in Illinois the following year. Under Kroc’s direction, the company grew to become the giant we know today.
- date made
- mid 1960s
- maker
- Prince Castle
- ID Number
- 1991.0324.03
- catalog number
- 1991.0324.03
- accession number
- 1991.0324
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History, Kenneth E. Behring Center
French Fry Scoop
- Description
- This object is a left-handed, stainless steel French fry scoop with a black plastic handle. On the reverse, writing etched into the scoop says “Bagging Scoop.” This scoop, used by left-handed employees, was designed to dispense a precise amount of French fries to create uniformity between servings in the quickest, most efficient way possible.
- The McDonald’s Corporation is one of the most recognizable hamburger restaurants in the United States. As of 2011, the McDonald’s Corporation and franchisees were operating in 119 countries with 1.9 million employees, making it the 4th largest employer in the world.
- In 1940, Richard (Dick) and Maurice (Mac) McDonald opened the first McDonald’s Bar-B-Q drive-in restaurant in San Bernardino, California. In 1948, the brothers redesigned their menu, centering on the 15 cent hamburger. In 1954, Ray Kroc, a Multimixer (milkshake machine) salesman, became interested in the McDonalds brothers’ high volume restaurant. He worked out a deal with the brothers to be their franchising agent and opened the first franchise location in Illinois the following year. Under Kroc’s direction, the company grew to become the giant we know today.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- date made
- mid 1960s
- maker
- Prince Castle
- ID Number
- 1991.0324.04
- catalog number
- 1991.0324.04
- accession number
- 1991.0324
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History, Kenneth E. Behring Center
McDonald's Uniform Top
- Description
- This short sleeve, dark and light blue shirt is made of polyester fabric, embroidered with the double arches logo on the left front and has a light blue zipper. Maker's tag inscribed "Made expressly for McDonald's® personnel by Ottenheimer & Co., Career Apparel Division.” It is a women's medium and was worn by the donor in 1973 while working for McDonald's®. The donor’s primary position was cashier/clerk, but each employee was trained to be able to perform each task in the restaurant in the event someone called off and they had to fill in for the day. The location where the donor worked was located close to a college campus and the staff pool primarily consisted of college students.
- The McDonald’s Corporation is one of the most recognizable hamburger restaurants in the United States. As of 2011, the McDonald’s Corporation and franchisees were operating in 119 countries with 1.9 million employees, making it the 4th largest employer in the world.
- In 1940, Richard (Dick) and Maurice (Mac) McDonald opened the first McDonald’s Bar-B-Q drive-in restaurant in San Bernardino, California. In 1948, the brothers redesigned their menu, centering on the 15 cent hamburger. In 1954, Ray Kroc, a Multimixer (milkshake machine) salesman, became interested in the McDonalds brothers’ high volume restaurant. He worked out a deal with the brothers to be their franchising agent and opened the first franchise location in Illinois the following year. Under Kroc’s direction, the company grew to become the giant we know today.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- date made
- ca 1973
- ID Number
- 2011.0091.01
- catalog number
- 2011.0091.01
- accession number
- 2011.0091
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History, Kenneth E. Behring Center
Stormer Viscosimeter
- Description
- This instrument was designed by E. 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.
- This example is marked “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.
- 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
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History, Kenneth E. Behring Center
"Pot Luck" with the "boys"--President Roosevelt's cowboy breakfast, Hugo, Colorado. Copyright 1903 by Underwood & Underwood." on negative. No. 23004 : photonegative, 1903
- Notes
- 4945; 6064
- Currently stored in box 3.1.55 [77]
- Date
- 1903
- 1900-1910
- publisher
- Underwood & Underwood
- Subject
- Roosevelt, Theodore President 1858-1919
- Local number
- RSN 16600
- Data Source
- Archives Center - NMAH
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