Museum Artifact: Ovaltine “Food Beverage” Tin, 1921
Made By: The Wander Company, 37 S. Wabash Ave. (HQ), Factory at 1 Ovaltine Court, Villa Park
Research is underway on this one and a full write-up will be coming soon.
Food & Drink
The Cracker Jack Co., est. 1871
Museum Artifact: Cracker Jack Cocoanut Corn Crisp Tin, c. 1930
Made By: The Cracker Jack Company, 4800 W. 66th Street, Chicago, IL
“You can eat as much as you like!” That’s how the Cracker Jack Company marketed its new Cocoanut Corn Crisp to America in 1928, assuring all snackers that these “luscious lumps of goodness” were “healthful, pure, and wholesome.” Not being a doctor or nutritionist,
Bunte Brothers, est. 1876
Museum Artifacts: Bunte “Fine Confections, “Diana,” “Stuft” and “World Famous Candies” Tins by Bunte Brothers, 1910s-1930s
Made By: Bunte Brothers Candy, 3301 W. Franklin Blvd., Chicago, IL
Which industry best exemplified the spirit of Chicago at its manufacturing zenith? The steel mills? The Union Stock Yards? The railroads? Architecture?
Nope. It was definitely candy—sweet, delectable, teeth-rotting candy.
For the thousands of Chicago factory workers employed in the confectionery trade,
Marshall Field’s Frango Mints, 1929-1999
Museum Artifact: Marshall Field’s Frango Mints Box, c. 1950s
Made By: Marshall Field & Co., 111 N. State Street, Chicago, IL
Research is underway on this one and a full write-up will be coming soon.
Fannie May Candy Co., est. 1920
Museum Artifact: Fannie May “Kitchen Fresh Candies” box, c. 1950s
Made By: Fannie May Candy Co., 1137 W. Jackson Blvd, Chicago, IL
Research is underway on this one and a full write-up will be coming soon.
Ferrara Pan Candy Co., est. 1908
Museum Artifact: Ferrara’s Boston Baked Beans box, c. 1940s
Made By: Ferrara Candy Co., 2200 W. Taylor St., Chicago, IL
Research is underway on this one and a full write-up will be coming soon.
Libby, McNeill & Libby, est. 1869
Museum Artifact: Libby’s Canned Foods Store Display, 1923
Made By: Libby, McNeill & Libby, 13636 South Western Avenue, Blue Island, IL
Research is underway on this one and a full write-up will be coming soon.
Schoenhofen Brewing Co., est. 1861
Museum Artifact: Edelweiss Maltine Bottle, c. 1900s
Made By: The Peter Schoenhofen Brewing Company, Canalport Avenue & West 18th Street, Chicago, IL
Research is underway on this one and a full write-up will be coming soon.
Bowman Dairy Company, est. 1874
Museum Artifact: Bowman Cottage Cheese container, c. 1950s
Made By: Bowman Dairy Company, 140 W. Ontario Street, Chicago, IL + Numerous plant locations
Research is underway on this one and a full write-up will be coming soon.
The Standard Brewery, est. 1892
Museum Artifact: Standard Brewery “OaKay” Export Beer Bottle, c. 1910
Made By: The Standard Brewery, W . Roosevelt Rd. and S. Campbell Ave., Chicago, IL
It might seem like we’re currently living in the golden era of the regional micro-brewery, what with upwards of 3,000 “craft beer” producers now in operation in the U.S., and about 70 inside the Chicago city limits alone. The “brew-pub” phenomenon,
M. J. Holloway & Co., est. 1920
Museum Artifact: Holloway’s Milk Duds, 5-cent box, c. 1940s
Made By: M. J. Holloway & Co., 308 W. Ontario St., Chicago, IL
Research is underway on this one and a full write-up will be coming soon.
Orange Crush Co., est. 1911
Museum Artifact: 8-Pack of Orange Crush (with 6 Glass Bottles), c. 1965
Made By: Crush International, Inc. / Orange Crush Company, 2201 Main Street, Evanston, IL
Research is underway on this one and a full write-up will be coming soon.
Weber-Stephen Products Co., est. 1893
Museum Artifact: Weber Barbecue Accessories Starter Set 8801, 1970s
Made By: Weber-Stephen Products Co., 100 N. Hickory St., Arlington Heights, IL
Research is underway on this one and a full write-up will be coming soon.
Swift & Co., est. 1875
Museum Artifact: Swift’s Soybean Oil Meal, 100LB Burlap Sack, c. 1940s
Made By: Swift & Company, 4179 Packers Avenue, Union Stockyards., Chicago, IL
Research is underway on this one and a full write-up will be coming soon.
Solo Cup Company, est. 1936
Museum Artifact: “Dairy Treat” Paper Cups, 1967
Made by: Solo Cup Company, 1501 E. 96th Street, Chicago, IL
Research is underway on this one and a full write-up will be coming soon.
Andes Candies, est. 1921
Museum Artifact: Andes Candies Tin, c. 1960s
Made By: Andes Candies, Inc., 4430 N. Clark St., Chicago, IL
Research is underway on this one and a full write-up will be coming soon.
Albert Dickinson Co., est. 1888
Museum Artifact: Little Buster Hulless Popcorn, c. 1920s
Made by: Albert Dickinson Company, 2750 W. 35th Street, Chicago, IL
Research is underway on this one and a full write-up will be coming soon.
Oscar Mayer & Co., est. 1883
Museum Artifact: “Little Oscar & The Bandit” Coloring Book, 1962
Made By: Oscar Mayer & Co., Inc., 1241 N. Sedgwick St., Chicago, IL
Research is underway on this one and a full write-up will be coming soon.
Case-Moody Pie Corp., est. 1929
Museum Artifact: Case-Moody Pie Pans, c. 1940s
Made By: Case-Moody Pie Corporation, 1807 W. Walnut Street, Chicago, IL
Research is underway on this one and a full write-up will be coming soon.
Central Waxed Paper Co., est. 1915
Museum Artifact: Original Bread Wrapper Wax Proof Sheets, 1920s
Made By: Central Waxed Paper Co., 5659 W. Taylor Street, Chicago, IL
Research is underway on this one and a full write-up will be coming soon.
Curtiss Candy Co., est. 1916
Museum Artifact: Baby Ruth Display Box, c. 1950s
Made By: Curtiss Candy Company, 337 E. Illinois St., Chicago, IL
“There was never a crack in the integrity of Otto Schnering.”
In 1953—right around the same time the vintage Baby Ruth display box in our collection was made—radio host and author Henry J. Taylor went on the air and delivered a stirring speech / eulogy for the man they used to call the “Candy Bar King.” Taylor was a former business associate and longtime friend of Otto Schnering,
Jaques MFG Co., est. 1890
Museum Artifact: K C Baking Powder 10 oz. Can, c. 1900s
Made By: Jaques MFG Co., 1601 S. Canal Street, Chicago, IL
Research is underway on this one and a full write-up will be coming soon.
Steele-Wedeles Company, est. 1862
Museum Artifact: Savoy Cocoa Tins, c. 1920s
Made By: Steele-Wedeles Company, 312-22 N Dearborn St., Chicago, IL
In 1925—back when these Savoy brand cocoa tins from our museum collection were still sitting shiny and new in someone’s kitchen cabinet—the wholesale grocer that produced them, the Steele-Wedeles Company, made a major announcement.
After more than 50 years at its post-fire headquarters on the corner of South Water and LaSalle Street,