Turning Points
in Wisconsin History
The oldest toast in Wisconsin
Oldest toast in Wisconsin? Charred bread slices recovered from the Alden's Corners archaeological site in Dane County, Wisconsin.
In 2002, archaeologists recovered what may be Wisconsin's oldest slices of toast at the site of the Alden's Corners Post Office. Initially founded by Yankees in the 1850s to meet the needs of local agricultural workers, Alden's Corners soon became home to a large number of German immigrants who helped to support a store, school, and post office. DNA tests on the bread confirmed that it was made of wheat, Wisconsin's major crash crop in the 1860s and 1870s. While bread would ordinarily decompose quickly, a combination of circumstances allowed these pieces of toast to be preserved for at least 125 years. This link provides more information about the toast as well as the small town of Alden's Corners.
| Related Topics: |
Immigration and Settlement Early U.S. Settlement 19th-Century Immigration The Rise of Dairy Farming |
| Creator: | unknown |
| Pub Data: | State Historical Museum. (Museum object #2002.211.1,3,5) |
| Citation: | "Oldest toast in Wisconsin? Charred bread slices recovered from the Alden's Corners archaeological site in Dane County, Wisconsin." State Historical Museum. Online facsimile at: http://www.wisconsinhistory.org/turningpoints/search.asp?id=1255; Visited on: 5/4/2024 |
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