Community Corner

Sweet Home Chicago Unwraps Chicago's Candy-making History

You won't want to miss this delicious summer exhibit at Elmhurst Historical Museum beginning May 11.

Chicago has been called America's candy capital since the late 1800s, and for much of its history, a third of all candies made in the United States were made here. Iconic candy names like Snickers, Butterfingers, Wrigley, Tootsie Rolls, Lemonheads, Cracker Jack and many more have all been produced in the Chicago area over the last century.
 
So how and why did so many candy makers come to craft their delicious confections in Chicago?  Visitors to the , 120 East Park Ave., will find out at the new exhibit, Sweet Home Chicago: The History of America’s Candy Capital, May 11 through Sept. 30.
 
From Corner Shops to Factories

From mom-and-pop shops on neighborhood corners to huge factories churning out sweets by the millions, Chicago’s candy-making story is one that started with skilled immigrants bringing their European craftsmanship to the city. Factor in Chicago’s burgeoning role as a transportation hub and the result is a perfect combination for making every type of candy, from hand-crafted chocolates in local kitchens to candy bars on the assembly line. Chicago, it would seem, had many of the right factors at the right time in history to become a national center for candy making.
 
Sweet Home Chicago is an original exhibit created by Lance Tawzer, Elmhurst Historical Museum’s curator of exhibits, in collaboration with Leslie Goddard, who extensively researched and wrote a book on the subject.
 
“With our summer exhibits, we like to try to explore the lighter side of history with compelling stories to capture the interest of a wide range of patrons,” Tawzer said. “Our goal is to make learning about history interesting, fun, and accessible to everybody—kids and adults alike—to provide an intergenerational experience. We hope that candy fans of all ages will visit multiple times in the coming months to learn more about this unique Chicago story."
 
Tawzer added that although the candy-making industry has undergone major changes in recent years, it is still an important American business Chicago played a major role in building. 

“Consider some of the legendary names in candy: Brach, Blommer, Wrigley, Mars, Curtiss,” Tawzer said. “They all started right here, and they are fascinating stories of innovation, creativity, and growth during America’s candy-making heyday.”
 
Exhibit Highlights

Find out what's happening in Elmhurstwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Some of the special features museum visitors will encounter in the Sweet Home Chicago exhibit include:

  • interactive displays featuring interesting photographs, candy fun facts and unique artifacts
  • clever advertisements used by early candy makers to sell their wares
  • mini theatre featuring an original video narrated by Bill Kurtis called “Candyland USA,” classic commercials and the hilarious “I Love Lucy” candy-wrapping episode
  • the Twisted Candy Challenge in the second floor gallery allows would-be candy makers to test their candy-wrapping skills.

Special Events and Programs

Find out what's happening in Elmhurstwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Elmhurst Historical Museum has a full schedule of programs and events in the coming months to provide additional learning opportunities about Chicago’s candy-making legacy. For the latest program details, visit the museum's website.

  • May 17, Chicago’s Candy-Making History, 1 p.m. Historian, author and exhibit collaborator Leslie Goddard presents a lecture on how Chicago became America’s candy capital.
  • June 21, Chef Gale Gand: Tales from the Pastry Kitchen, 6:30 p.m. Gale Gand, the renowned pastry chef of the four-star TRU restaurant, cookbook author, and television personality, will share her experiences satisfying Chicago’s sweet tooth at Elmhurst Public Library. Reservations required; call 630-279-8696.
  • June 24, Sweet Home Spectacular, 1 to 4 p.m. All are invited to join in a free family event on the Elmhurst Historical Museum grounds with an outdoor concert by award-winning musician Jim Gill and his Family Room Tour, chocolate dipping with Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory, face painting, games and lots more.
  • July 19, The History of Blommer Chocolate Company, 1 p.m. Hear the story of Blommer Chocolate Company, the largest chocolate manufacturer in North America and source of those delectable aromas that have wafted over the near north side since 1939.
  • Aug. 9, Adventures in Candyland: Small Batch Candy Making, 1 p.m. Meet third-generation candy maker Amy Wertheim of R.G.W. Candy Company, who will share the company’s tradition of making small batch, hand-dipped chocolates, toffees, caramels and more on the family farm in downstate Illinois. And yes, she’ll have samples for participants.

Museum hours are 1 to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Sunday, and admission is free.


Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here