19-year-old Helena Muffly wrote exactly 100 years ago today:
Monday, August 24 – Thursday, August 27, 1914: For lack of something to write.
Her middle-aged granddaughter’s comments 100 years later:
This is the last of four days that Grandma combined into one entry. Since she didn’t write much, I thought that you might enjoy this hundred-year-old advertisement for Wrigley’s Spearmint Gum.
A Hundred Years Ago 
I wonder what the view of gum was then and would it have been deemed suitable for a 19 year old young lady?
I was surprised how old the couple looked in the advertisement. It seems like teens would have been a market group that they would have wanted to target.
“The hospitality confection” ….and I just always thought it was gum! I’ve heard of Coca-cola being used for indigestion, but never heard that about gum. And “socialbridge” has a good point!
Perhaps Grandma was busy having fun and didn’t have time to write each day….???
That’s what I think (or at least what I hope). I keep remembering the diary entry in late July which seemed to indicate that there was a guy.
Ha! It’s almost sold as medicine!
Diana xo
What more could you ask? It’s good for you. 🙂
well I don’t know about spearmint, but peppermint is good for stomach issues! 😉
‘Chew it after every meal.’ And, only 85 cents for a box of 20. A deal.
What a deal!
Good gosh, they sure had a good run. I remember buying this stuff as a kid in the 60’s. I haven’t seen it for ages though. I think ‘truth in advertising’ hadn’t been coined yet. The claims these companies made back when were a riot. Can you imagine a hostess handing you a package of gum on the way out and saying “thanks so much for coming” ? LOL
I love how you describe the scenario with the hostess. LOL.
Funny thing is I remember going to visit elderly relatives and being offered sweets and gum. But then, I was a child. I don’t know that the sweetie/gum mix was offered to adults, except the adult who offered the treats often decided to keep you company in your sweet eating.
I have similar memories of elderly relatives having fancy glass candy dishes filled with all sorts of treats.
Spearmint remains my favorite chewing gum flavor although it’s hard to find any more…
I think that I recently saw some in a store–but your comment and the comments of several others about the difficulty finding it, makes me uncertain. I’m going to have to pay attention to the gum by the check-out the next time I go shopping.
Very cool. My husband collects old signs for soda and some other products. They are so much fun to look at. Memories and nostalgia for a time we never knew.
What a fun hobby! I’ve seen a few lovely old signs for regional sodas in flea markets–and always wished that I had a place to display them.
You should see our garage!
I guess the ad was effective. Wrigley’s Spearmint Chewing gum is still around, I think
I also think that it’s still around–though I am going to have to confirm that the next time I go grocery shopping. 🙂
ah…the simple pleasures! 🙂
🙂
I really enjoy reading your old ads. It gives an interesting layer to your blog 🙂
I’m glad that you like them.
I love this old ad. Very cool.
I also though that it was a really fun ad. I’m glad you liked it.
I remember when Wrigley’s was a must for sweet breath if you were going on a date!
Ah. . . the good old days. 🙂
I liked Wrigley’s Spearmint Gum. 🙂
It was one of my favorites, too.
The old ads are so charming. Thank you for making us smile.
Blessings ~ Wendy ❀
It’s nice to hear that you like the ads. Thanks for the kind words.
Great advertisement – I use to love those stick gums growing up!
So did I. In addition to Spearmint gum, I remember Juicy Fruit and Teaberry gum