FOOD HISTORY TIMELINE
1906 to 19101906 Bel Paese cheese was created. Egidio Galbani created this popular Italian cow's milk cheese. Its name means 'beautiful country,' and supposedly comes from a book written by Father Antonio Stoppani, a friend of the family. 1906 Helen Corbitt was born. American chef and cookbook author. Texas Monthly declared Corbitt to be the 'Tastemaker of the Century.' 1906 The King Ranch in Texas now covers almost 1 million acres, with 75,000 head of cattle and almost 10,000 horses. 1906 Harry G. Day was born (died 2007). A nutritional biochemist, he helped develop the fluoride additive used in toothpaste to fight tooth decay. Proctor and Gamble funded his research at Indiana University. The FDA approved stannous fluoride in 1955 for use in toothpaste. In 1956 P&G introduced Crest toothpaste with this ingredient, which they called fluoristan. 1906 Benjamin Eisenstadt was born. He invented the artificial sweetener, 'Sweet 'n Low (granulated saccharin and dextrose). 1906 Upton Sinclair writes “The Jungle”, an expose of conditions in the Chicago stockyards. The book's influence leads to reforms including the U.S. Meat Inspection Act. 1906 Alfred C. Fuller founded the Fuller Brush Company.
1906 George Adamson was born (died Aug 20, 1989). British conservationist who pioneered the movement to preserve African wildlife together with his wife Joy. 1906 The Hot Fudge Sundae was created at C.C. Browns, an ice cream parlor on Hollywood Boulevard in Los Angeles. 1906 The term 'filet mignon' is first used by O. Henry in his book 'The Four Million' 1906 Clyde W. Tombaugh was born. An American astronomer who discovered the planet Pluto in 1930. Born on a farm near Streator, Illinois, his first telescope was made from old farm equipment parts. 1906 Battle Creek Toasted Corn Flake Company (W.K. Kellogg Company) was founded. Founded by Will Keith Kellogg to manufacture breakfast cereals (cornflakes). 1906 William James Farrer died. An Australian agriculturist, he developed new varieties of wheat. 1906 San Francisco was hit by a devastating earthquake at 5:12 a.m. 1906 The Pure Food and Drug Act of 1906 and the Meat Inspection Act were signed into law by President Theodore Roosevelt. It prohibited the sale of adulterated or mislabeled food and drug products, adulterated or misbranded livestock and derived products, and ensured that livestock were slaughtered and processed under sanitary conditions. 1906 Vincent Schaefer was born. A U.S. research chemist, he invented 'cloud seeding' with dry ice to cause rain or snow. 1906 Karl August Folkers was born. He was the first to isolate vitamin B12. 1906 Joseph Farwell Glidden died. Glidden, an Illinois farmer, received a patent for the first commercial barbed wire on November 24, 1874. The beginning of the end to open range and the cowboy. Glidden formed the Barb Fence Company with Isaac L. Ellwood, and became one of the wealthiest men in the country. 1906 First caterpillar tractor powered by gasoline engine produced by Holt Company. 1906 Tom Carvel was born. He was the inventor of the soft-serve ice cream machine, and founder of the ice cream chain, Carvel’s 1906 Louis Bignon was died (born 1816). French agriculturist, restaurateur and chef. His Cafe Riche became the most famous in Paris and was known worldwide. He invested in farms and vineyards and was awarded the Legion of Honor for his agricultural work. 1906 The Dow Jones industrial average closed above 100 for the first time, closing at 100.25. 1906 An 8.2 magnitude earthquake struck Valparaiso, Chile, destroying much of the city. 1906 Max Eyth died (born 1836). German engineer and inventor working with agricultural machinery in England and Germany. He founded the German Agricultural Society (1884). 1906 'Gulden's Mustard' trademark was registered.
1906 Aristotle Onassis was born. Greek shipping magnate. 1906 The New England Confectionery Company (NECCO) registered 'NECCO Sweets' trademark for candy. 1906 The 100 room Turnberry Hotel, opened on the west coast of Scotland. 1906 Isadore 'Friz' Freleng was born (died May 26, 1995). Cartoon animator, he created or developed cartoon characters Bugs Bunny, Porky Pig, Sylvester the Cat, and Tweety Bird. 1907 Hershey milk chocolate Kisses are introduced. 1907 Frederic Martin Sr. of Columbus, Ohio received a patent for a 'Washboard' ("improved metallic plate having a series of staggered projections upon the face thereof...adapted for use as a rubbing-plate for washboards") 1907 American Fork & Hoe Company registered 'True Temper' trademark for farm and garden hand tools. 1907 John James McLaughlin of Ontario, Canada is awarded a trademark for Canada Dry Ginger Ale, "the champagne of ginger ales." 1907 Edwin J. Showmaker was born (died 1998). American engineer who invented the reclining chair and founded the La-Z-Boy furniture company. 1907 The 18 story, 750 room Plaza Hotel opened at the corner of Central Park South and Fifth Avenue in New York City. It set the standard for luxury accommodation and service the moment it opened. Mr. and Mrs. Alfred Gwynne Vanderbilt were the first guests to sign the register (see also History on Plaza Hotel website) 1907 Ringling Brothers circus bought Barnum & Bailey Circus.
1907 Oklahoma became the 46th state. 1907 Willard Legrand Bundy died (born 1845). Received the first U.S. patent for a time recording clock (patent no. 393,205). 1907 Wilbur Olin Atwater died. American agricultural chemist who layed the groundwork for the science of nutrition. In 1875 he established the first agricultural experimental station in the U.S. at Wesleyan College in Connecticut. 1907 Branding ink for use in meat inspection developed. 1907 Maytag washing machines are introduced. They were an addition to the farm implements the company produce in Newton, Iowa. They were produced during the seasonal slumps in farm implement sales. 1907 Gastronomie pratique (Practical Gastronomy) was published by Henri Babinsky (nicknamed Ali-Bab). 1907 One of the ad campaigns for Kellogg's Corn Flakes (then the Battle Creek Toasted Corn Flake Company) offered a free box of cereal to every woman who would wink at her grocer. 1907 Scott Paper Co. introduced the first paper towel. 1907 The Fairmont hotel reopened in San Francisco, one year after being severely damaged by the San Francisco Earthquake of 1906. 1907 Rachel Louise Carson was born; author of 'Silent Spring.' An American biologist, the book was concerned with the dangers of environmental pollution, especially DDT. 1907 The automatic washer & dryer are introduced. 1907 Persil, world's first self-acting household detergent, was marketed by Henkel et Cie of Dusseldorf. It was a combination of a washing and bleaching agent in one powder (PERborate and SILicate). 1907 Elizabeth Cabot Agassiz died. An American naturalist, co-founder with her husband (Louis Agassiz), of the Anderson School of Natural History. She was also the first president of Radclife College. 1907 Orville Redenbacher was born. Founder of gourmet popcorn company. 1907 Earl S. Tupper was born. The inventor of Tupperware. (Tupperware makes the containers used to conduct mold and bacterial experiments in the back of refrigerator shelves). 1907 Christmas seals go on sale for the first time. The proceeds went to fight tuberculosis. 1907 The Times introduced the New Years Eve Ball on their building at Times Square in New York. Descending to mark the end of the old and the beginning of the New Year ever since. The iron and wood ball was 5 feet in diameter and weighed 700 pounds. 1908 The first commercially successful electric toaster was introduced by General Electric, it sold for $1.45 1908 Half of all Americans live on farms or in small towns with a population of less than 2,500. 1908 President Roosevelt’s Country Life Commission is established and focuses attention on rural problems. 1908 Dry Sack Sherry was introduced. 1908 Prohibition begins in Mississippi.
1908 Iceland banned the sale of alcoholic beverages.
1908 The 'Toblerone' chocolate bar is introduced in Switzerland. 1908 Chef Auguste Escoffier made his 2nd visit to the United States. He praised the dish Maryland Chicken, and also liked soft shell crabs. 1908 At midnight (Feb 25/26), service through the Hudson & Manhattan railway tunnels opened to the public, carrying passengers between Manhattan and Hoboken New Jersey. It was the first railroad tunnel under a major river in the U.S. 1908 Nicholas Kurti was born (died 1998). Hungarian born British physicist whose hobby was cooking. He advocated applying scientific knowledge to the kitchen and coined the term 'molecular gastronomy' 1908 Carl von Voit died. German physiologist whose work on metabolism helped establish modern nutritional science. 1908 Mel Blanc (Melvin Jerome Blanc) was born. Blanc was a voice actor for Warner Bros. (and other) cartoon characters. Some of the characters he 'voiced' include Bugs Bunny, Tweety Bird, Porky Pig, Daffy Duck and Sylvester the Cat. 1908 John Krohn walked over 9,000 miles around the perimeter of the United States with his wheelbarrow. He completed the walk in 357 days, resting on Sundays. 1908 M.F.K. Fisher (Mary Frances Kennedy Fisher) was born. Mary Frances Kennedy Fisher was an American food critic and writer and the author of various articles, essays and books about food. She also translated Brillat-Savarin's 'The Physiology of Taste' in 1949. 1908 The Model T Ford was introduced at a price of $825. Due to efficient mass production, by 1925 the price of a 2 door Model T was only $260. 1908 There are an estimated 75,000 soda fountains in the U.S. 1908 William Keith Brooks died. An influential zoologist, he was a champion for the conservation of the Chesapeake Bay oyster. 1908 Philadelphia completed the first clean water system in the U.S.
1908 Chicago passed the first compulsory milk pasteurization law in the U.S. 1908 Kingsley Davis was born August 20 (died 1997). World renowned American sociologist and demographer. An expert on population trends, he coined the terms 'population explosion' and 'zero population growth.' 1908 Proctor & Gamble registered the 'Ivory Soap' trademark.
1908 New York City makes it illegal for women to smoke in public. 1908 The first Mother's Day observance took place during church services in Grafton, West Virginia, and Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. 1908 A 3 day Conference of Governors began, hosted by President Theodore Roosevelt at the White House, to consider the problems of conservation. It was also attended by the members of the Supreme Court and the Cabinet, scientists, and various national leaders. It led to the creation of The National Conservation Commission. 1908 G. & J. G. Smith registered the 'The Glenlivet' trademark (pure malt scotch whiskey). 1908 Shortly after 4:00 am, Canadian drillers working for the Anglo-Persian Oil Company make the first major oil discovery in the Middle East at Masjid-i-Suleiman (in present day Iran). 1908 Henry Ford's first Model T, the "Tin Lizzie," rolled off assembly line in Detroit, Michigan. It seated two and sold for $825 (see also May 26, 1927). 1908 Roger Tory Peterson was born (died July 28, 1996). American ornithologist and conservationist who wrote and illustrated 'A Field Guide to Birds' (1934) which increased public interest in the study of birds. 1909 Tillamook Cheese Co. Co. Operative Creameries Association is founded in Oregon. 1909 Coca-Cola is introduced to Britain for the first time. 1909 Australia: Bourke, New South Wales recorded Australia's hottest day ever at 125°F. (51.7°C). (This record has been disputed). 1909 Australia: Bourke, New South Wales recorded Australia's hottest day ever at 125°F. (51.7°C). (This record has been disputed). 1909 Sir Peter Markham Scott was born (died Aug 29, 1989). British conservationist, artist, and author. A founder of the Severn Wildfowl Trust (now Wildlife and Wetlands Trust) and the World Wildlife Fund. 1909 Thomas A. Edison received U.S. patent No. 909,806 for "Waterproofing Fibers and Fabrics".
1909 Quebec prohibits the sale of alcoholic candy being sold by some 30 stores in Montreal. 1909 Albert R. Broccoli was born (died June 27, 1996). Producer of the James Bond movie series. 1909 Alexander King was born (died 2007). Scottish scientist. A pioneer in warning about the dangers to the environment from extensive industrial development. 1909 German chemist Fritz Hofman received the world's first patent for synthetic rubber. 1909 Raymond Oliver was born (died 1990). One of the great chefs of postwar France. Chef and owner of the famous Le Grand Véfour restaurant in Paris. 1909 J.R. Simplot was born (died 2008). Founder of J.R. Simplot Company in 1929 in Idaho. specializing in potato products (in 2005 it supplied more tha 50% of McDonald's french fries). 1909 Allan 'Rocky' Lane was born. Actor in numerous films and TV shows, he was also the voice of the talking horse in the TV show 'Mister Ed' (1961-1966). 1909 U.S. agricultural exports were about $917 million a year 1900-1909. 1909 800 tons of snails were consumed by Parisians during the winter months. 1909 Emil Chrstian Hansen died (born 1842). He was a Danish botanist who developed new methods to culture yeast. He revolutionized the beer industry, and proved that there are different species of yeast. He refused to patent the method, but instead made it available for free to other brewers. 1909 (or 1912) Nabisco debuts the Oreo cookie.
1909 Engineer Frank Shailor of General Electric received a patent for the first commercially successful electric toaster. 1909 Marcel Proust had a flashback. He ate a piece of tea-soaked toast whose taste caused a flood of childhood memories. 1909 Carmen Miranda was born. Brazilian singer and actress. Appeared in many Hollywood movies, she was known as “the Brazilian bombshell” and also “the lady in the tutti-frutti hat.” 1909 Richard McDonald was born. He was one of the brothers who founded McDonald's fast food restaurants. Richard also designed the golden arches logo. He died in 1998. 1909 Mervyn Hugh Cowie was born. Cowie was a British wildlife conservationist, founder and director of Kenya's Royal National Parks. 1909 Archie Fairley Carr was born. An American biologist and authority on turtles. His extensive studies and conservation efforts helped to increase turtle populations around the world. 1909 The first corporation tax was passed by the U.S. Congress.
1909 'The Chocolate Soldier,' an operetta by Oscar Straus and Stanislaus Strange, opened in New York. 1909 Leo Hendrik Baekeland was issued a patent for 'Bakelite,' the first plastic that did not soften when heated. Those black plastic knobs on stoves, and distributor caps for car engines are examples. 1909 Ernest Gallo was born (died 2007). Co-founded E & J Gallo Winery with his brother Julio in 1933. It is the largest winery in the U.S. with about 25% of the U.S. wine market. 1909 Peter Barr died (born 1826). Scottish horticulturist popularly known as the “Daffodil King” for his work studying and popularizing this spring flower. 1909 The 'New' Palace Hotel opened in San Francisco. It replaced the original Palace Hotel that was destroyed in the 1906 earthquake and fire. (see also Oct 2, 1875) 1910 Florence Nightingale died (born 1820). English nurse who established modern nursing practice. 1910 Heinz Tomato Soup went on sale in the UK for first time, at Fortnum & Mason. 1910 Father's Day was observed for the first time in Spokane, Washington, initiated by Sonora Smart Dodd. In 1966 President Johnson issued the first presidential proclamation designating the 3rd Sunday in June as Father's Day. It was not made a permanent U.S. national holiday until 1972. 1910 John Walker & Sons registered 'Johnnie Walker' trademark in U.S. for a blend of scotch whiskies. 1910 Granville T. Woods died (born 1856). Prolific African American inventor. Among his inventions were an electric incubator for hatching chickens and an automatic air brake for railroads. 1910 Jerome Namias was born (died 1997). An American meteorologist and first head of the Extended Forecast Division of the U.S. Weather Bureau. He pioneered 5 day, 30 day and 90 day extended forcasts and long range seasonal forecasts. 1910 Elizabeth Blackwell died (born 1821). First woman to receive an M.D. degree from a U.S. medical school (1849). 1910 Julio Gallo was born (died 1993). Co-founded E & J Gallo Winery with his brother Ernest in 1933. It is the largest winery in the U.S. with about 25% of the U.S. wine market. 1910 Ray Geiger was born. Editor of the Farmers' Almanac from 1934-1993, and editor of American Farm & Home Almanac from 1964-1990. 1910 The average American ate 5 pounds of cheese per year. 1910 The population of the U.S. is now 92,228,496. Farmers are 31% of the labor force. There are about 6,366,000 farms, averaging about 138 acres. 1910 There are more than 7 million telephones in use in the U.S. and almost 1 million automobiles were registered. 1910 Of gainfully employed persons, 31 percent were engaged in agriculture.
1910 The Boy Scouts of America was incorporated. 1910 The Camp Fire Girls was founded in the U.S. (previously the official year was 1912). 1910 Frederick J. Osius, Louis H. Hamilton and Chester Beach founded Hamilton Beach Manufacturing Company to manufacture household appliances. 1910 The Great Fire of 1910 (also called the Big Blowup or the Big Burn) was the largest forest fire in U.S. history. Burning for 2 days, August 20 & 21, it destroyed about 3 million acres across northeast Washington, northern Idaho and western Montana (an area about the size of Connecticut). 87 people were killed, including 78 firefighters. 1910 Lucy Hobbs Taylor died. The first American female Dentist.
1910 Herman Tarnower was born. American physician and author of the bestselling 'The Complete Scarsdale Medical Diet' (1979). He was shot to death by Jean Harris. 1910 Wild blueberry domesticated. 1910 'Kid Chocolate' (Elgio Saldana) was born. He became Cuba's first world boxing champion in 1931 after defeating Benny Bass for the Jr. Lightweight Championship. 1910 Joy Adamson was born. Naturalist and author of 'Born Free' about Elsa, a lion cub. She had also researched culinary and medicinal uses of various plants in Kenya. 1910 Thomas Crapper died. He is the frequently said to have invented the flush toilet. He was a plumber, he had several patents issued, but they seem to be improvements to devices invented by others. 1910 Samuel Langhorne Clemens (Mark Twain) Died. American author, pen name Mark Twain, who wrote Tom Sawyer, Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, etc. There are many quotes and descriptions about food and dining in his works (and on FoodReference.com). An example is: "A man accustomed to American food and American domestic cookery would not starve to death suddenly in Europe, but I think he would gradually waste away, and eventually die." (From 'A Tramp Abroad'). 1910 The Earth passed through the tail of Halley's Comet and nothing happened. There had been dire predictions that everyone would die, and many hucksters sold 'comet pills' to counter the effects of the 'comet gas.' 1910 T-Bone Walker, blues guitarist, was born in Linden, Texas. 1910 Jacques-Yves Cousteau was born. Ocean explorer, marine biologist. Co-inventor of the aqualung. 1910 Roy J. Plunkett was born. He was the inventor of Teflon (Polytetrafluoroethylene) in 1938. The first nonstick cookware using Teflon was sold in 1960. 1910 Ward Baking Company of Chicago, Illinois opent the first completely automated bread plant in the U.S. Untouched by human hands. 1910 Constantin Fahlberg died. Russian chemist, codiscoverer in 1879 (with Ira Remsen) of the artificial sweetener, Saccharin. 1910 Pennsylvania Station, the largest railway station in the world, opened to traffic. The building was demolished in 1963. 1910 Momofuku Ando was born in Taiwan. Mr. Ando was the founder of Nissin Food Products, and invented 'Instant Ramen' noodles. 1910 The first publication of the Paul Bunyan stories of oral folklore, by James MacGillivray in the ‘Detroit News-Tribune’. A mythical hero of giant proportions who had an appetite to match his size. His camp stove had a griddle that was greased by men with sides of bacon strapped to their feet. 1910 Alva J. Fisher of Chicago, Illinois received U.S. patent No. 966,677 for an electric washing machine. Patent assigned to Hurley Machine Company. 1910 Cellophane was invented by Jacques Brandenberger, a Swiss chemist 1910 On July 27, large hailstones fall in Todd and Wadena counties in Minnesota, some weighing as much as 5 pounds. 1910 Ward Baking Company of Chicago, Illinois, opened the first automatic bread factory. The bread, from start to finish, was untouched by human hands, until it was placed in the wrapping machine. 1910 Arnold Neustadter was born. Inventor of the Rolodex rotating card file. 1910 This is one for those who think the electric insect 'zapper is a relatively new device. A patent for the first electric insect 'zapper' was issued to William H. Frost of Spokane, Washington in 1910! 1910 George Claude first demonstrated his new invention, the neon light, at the Paris Motor Show.
| 