Westminster Cracker Company facts for kids
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| Private | |
| Industry | Food industry |
| Founded | Westminster, Massachusetts, United States, 1828 |
| Headquarters |
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United States
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| Products | Crackers, Oyster crackers |
The Westminster Cracker Company makes yummy crackers. It started a long time ago in 1828. This was in a place called Westminster, Massachusetts. The first building where they made crackers is still there. You can even see it on their cracker boxes! Today, the company is in Rutland, Vermont.
Contents
History of Westminster Crackers
How It All Started
The Westminster Cracker Factory began in 1828. It was in a red building in Westminster, Massachusetts. They started by making three kinds of crackers. These were "common crackers," "butter crackers," and oyster crackers.
At first, a horse on a treadmill helped power the machines! Later, they used steam power. By 1922, electricity ran the bakery.
Celebrating 150 Years
In 1909, the town of Westminster celebrated its 150th birthday. A photo of the decorated cracker factory was put in a special book. The company owners, C. C. Dawley & Sons, were part of the parade. They had five decorated teams showing off their baking business.
By Christmas of 1912, the factory was making a lot of crackers. They made about 100 barrels of crackers every day! A book from 1913 listed the Westminster Bakery. It said C. C. Dawley & Sons owned it.
A Famous Slogan
Around 1922, Westminster Crackers had a slogan. It said: "Westminster Crackers: As good as can be made."
The Dawley family owned the company for over 100 years. In 1982, a part of their business was sold. But Peter Dawley kept the rights to make Westminster Crackers. He started a new Westminster Cracker company in Rutland in 1988.
Popular Crackers Today
For a long time, the "common cracker" was very famous. It was found in many country stores in New England. Today, the most popular cracker is the oyster cracker. Many restaurants all over the United States serve them.
Westminster Cracker Festival
Since 2015, there has been a fun festival. It's called the Westminster Cracker Festival. It celebrates the company's history and achievements. In 2018, thousands of people came to the festival.
The festival has many fun things to do. There's a 5K race and live music all day. You can find food vendors and play games. There are even chili cook-offs where people top their chili with crackers!
One game is a photo contest. It's called "Westminster Crackers are Everywhere." People take creative photos of the crackers far from home. Pictures have shown crackers in Alaska, on beaches, and on cruise ships! The Cracker Festival is still held every October. It's a free event for everyone, rain or shine.
See also
- Clam chowder, a soup often served with oyster crackers
- Cracker
