Sturgis Pretzel House facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Julius Sturgis Pretzel House
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Sturgis Pretzel House, October 2009
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 Location in Pennsylvania
Location in the United States
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| Location | 219-221 E. Main St., Lititz, Pennsylvania |
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| Area | less than one acre |
| Built | 1784 |
| Architect | Kreiter, Peter |
| NRHP reference No. | 74001789 |
| Added to NRHP | December 16, 1974 |
The Sturgis Pretzel House in Lititz, Pennsylvania, is a very special place. It started in 1861 and is known as the oldest commercial pretzel bakery in the United States. Today, the Julius Sturgis Pretzel Bakery still makes delicious pretzels. It's also a popular place for visitors to learn about pretzels.
Contents
The Story of Sturgis Pretzels
How It All Began
Back in 1850, a man named Julius Sturgis owned a business that baked bread in Lititz. One day, he helped a homeless man by giving him dinner. The story says this man had seen Julius's bakery from a train and hoped to find food and a job. Julius didn't have a job for him, but he still gave him a meal.
In return, the man gave Julius a special recipe for pretzels. Julius had never baked pretzels before. He tried the recipe out on his family first. Everyone loved them, so he started selling pretzels at his bakery.
From Bread to Pretzels
By 1861, the pretzels were so popular that Julius decided to stop baking bread. He focused only on making pretzels. This is how he started the very first commercial pretzel business in the United States. It was a big step for the pretzel world!
The Sturgis Family Tradition
Even today, the Sturgis family still bakes pretzels. They use the same secret recipe that Julius used way back in 1861. It's a long-standing family tradition.
Julius's grandson, Marriott Sturgis, was born in 1910. People called him "Tom Sturgis." This was because he worked with his uncle, Tom Keller. They had similar ways of baking pretzels. Tom's family later moved to Reading, Pennsylvania. There, Tom kept working in pretzel bakeries.
In 1936, Tom and his brother, Correll, opened their own bakery. They called it Sturgis Brothers. However, Tom had to close Sturgis Brothers. This was because of the drafts for World War II. Many people had to join the military during that time.
After the war, Tom Sturgis continued baking pretzels. He opened another bakery called Tom Sturgis Pretzels. This business is still open today. It is run by Tom's grandson, Bruce Sturgis. The Sturgis family also helps manage Julius Sturgis's original pretzel bakery.
A Famous Visitor
In 1981, the famous children's television host Fred Rogers visited the bakery. He featured the Sturgis Pretzel House on an episode of his show, Mister Rogers' Neighborhood. It was a fun way for many children to learn about pretzels.
The Historic Location
An Old and Special Building
The Sturgis Pretzel House is not just famous for pretzels. The building itself has a long and interesting history. It was built in 1784 by a man named Peter Kreiter. This makes it one of the oldest buildings in Lititz.
The house was built using stones. These stones came from the streets and from the nearby timber forest. The building also had special windows. These windows were designed to help protect the people inside.
A Place of History
The Julius Sturgis Pretzel Bakery is recognized as an important historical site. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. This means it is a place that is important to the history of the United States.
Since 1850, pretzels have been made in Lititz. The recipe used there came from French monasteries. This shows how deep the history of pretzels runs in this town.
See also
- List of the oldest buildings in Pennsylvania
