Bob Evans Farm

Rio Grande, Ohio

Robert Lewis Evans

(1918-2007)

Bob Evans was an American restaurateur and marketer of pork sausage products.  He founded a restaurant chain bearing his name. Evans was born to Stanley and Elizabeth Evans both of Welsh descent in Sugar Ridge, Ohio. The family moved to Gallia County, Ohio in 1929 to be near relatives.  The family settled in Gallipolis, Ohio where his father owned and managed a grocery store.  

Bob Evans got its start when he began making sausage on his southeastern Ohio farm to serve at a 12-stool diner he owned in nearby Gallipolis in 1948.  Evans could not find a  source of satisfactory sausage so he began making his own.  The original Bob Evans restaurant on the farm was called The Sausage Shop.  Although it started with 12 stools, today the restaurant can seat 134 patrons.

In 1953, the business was incorporated as Bob Evans Farms Inc.  In 1957, the company opened four sausage plants to keep up with demand.  In 1963, Bob Evans Farms Inc. had its IPO (initial public offering).  Evans served as a director and president of the company until his retirement on December 31, 1986.

The first Bob Evans restaurant was located in Chillicothe, Ohio.  By the early 1970s, the restaurants had expanded throughout Ohio.  Expansion into other states was started in the late 1970s.  By 2012, Bob Evans Farms, Inc. was a $1.7 billion restaurant and retail products company with over 500 restaurants in 19 states.  

The Bob Evans Farm

Bob  and Jewell Evans purchased the Niamiah Woods Farm near Rio Grande, Ohio from Rio Grande College in 1952.  They lived in the farmhouse for nearly twenty years.  Now the old homestead is called Bob Evans Farm and was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on December 14, 1987. The house is the home of the Homestead Museum about Bob Evans and his company.  The Bob Evans Farm Festival, featuring crafts, antiques, demonstrations and entertainment is held every year at the farm in Rio Grande during the second weekend of October. 

Evans passed on June 21, 2007, three weeks after his 89th birthday.  Upon learning of his death, Governor Ted Strickland of Ohio was quoted.

"Bob Evans was a true original.  His life's work was bringing the warmth, hospitality and good food of Ohio to the rest of the Nation. We, here, in Ohio are all proud of him and we are all deeply saddened by his passing."

Bob Evans has a toal of 421 locations across the United States with Ohio hosting the largest share at 179 locations, representing 42.5% of the total.  The top three states, Ohio, Michigan and Florida account for 61.0% of all locations.

Job Well Done, Bob Evans

RIP 

 

Former Welch Grape Juice Company Administration Building

Westfield, New York

The Welch Grape Juice Co.

A Ghost Sign (faded ads on brick) Today

Thomas Bramwell Welch (1825-1903) and his son, Charles Edgar Welch(1852-1926) were from Vineland, New Jersey.  The Welch's first pasteurized Concord grape juice in 1869 as an alternative to fermented wine for church communion services.  Welch's Grape Juice was originally marketed as Dr. Welch's Unfermented Wine.  Thomas Welch was a Methodist minister and heavily involved in the Underground Railroad moving slaves up from the south and into Canada.  He was against drinking alcohol and a prohibitionist working to reduce or end the sale of alcoholic beverages.  He, along with the Methodist Church, thought the consumption of alcohol as a bad thing and was opposed to using wine for communion, but substituted unfermented grape juice, instead. Thomas Welch became a dentist settling in Vineland, NJ where he built a successful dental practice.  He had seven children with Charles going into the field of dentistry along with Thomas' daughter, Emma.  

Thomas Bramwell Welch

Thomas Welch was fascinated by Louis Pasteur and in 1869, Welch invented a method of pasteurizing grape juice so that fermentation was stopped and the drink was non-alcoholic.  He persuaded local churches to adopt this non-alcoholic wine for communion services, calling it "Dr. Welch's Unfermented Wine".  In 1869, Thomas and Charles Welch started the Welch Dental Supply Company along with a dental journal.  The grape juice was a sideline project where the industry slowly grew until 1890 when Thomas and Charles Welch founded the Welch Grape Juice Company. Thomas retired and Charles devoted his efforts to the company while retiring from dentistry.  

 From dentists to grape juice moguls.  It was quite a trip!

Charles Edgar Welch

Eventually, cute ads like the one below appeared on television starring this cute kid.

Welch's Television Ad

Circa 1994

with

Travis Tedford

Travis was born on August 19, 1988 in Dallas, Texas. Travis became a bank teller in his early 20s after his acting career ended.  His Welch's Grape Juice & Jelly ad won him the organization's Television Commerical Award for Outstanding Young Performer.  Though his acting days are over, Travis has left a meaningful imprint on the entertainment industry. In 1994, Welch Foods Inc. featured Travis in its grape juice commerical making the Texas native the first face of the American food company's advertising-spokes-kid campaign.  His professional acting career kicked off that same year.

Travis Tedford, Today

Sidenote: Welch's Grape Juice Company headquarterss relocated to Concord, Massachusetts in 1983 from Westfield, New York.  The Chess Family Farm in Ripley, New York have been grape farmers for 7 generations.  They have 65 acres of Niagara grapes.  

"Some of our vineyards are as old as 100 years."

Mary Beth Chess

 

Ruth Graves Wakefield

(1903-1977)

..not all heros wear capes, some wear aprons..

Ruth Graves Wakefield was a former home economics teacher and an American chef, known for her innovations in the baking field.  She pioneered the first chocolate chip cookie recipe, an invention many people incorrectly assume was a mistake. The story that Ruth's chocolate chip cookie was a "mistake" is a widely popular, yet likely inaccurate myth.  The story claims she was substituting broken pieces of Nestle's chocolate bar for baking chocolate, expecting it to melt and create a chocolate-covered dough, but the chunks stayed intact instead.  While celebrated as a "happy accident", she likely intended the creation. 

The story of the "mistake" likely grew because it's a more charming, accidental origin story than the reality of a professional chef engaging in deliberate recipe development.

Due to the massive popularity of her cookie, she partnered with Nestle's to feature her recipe on their packaging in exchange for a lifetime supply of chocolate from the company.

Her new dessert, supposedly conceived of as she returned from a vacation in Egypt, is the inspiration behind the massively popular Toll House Chocolate Chip Cookie which Wakefield created around 1938 as the "Toll House Chocolate Crunch Cookie".  She created the recipe during the period when she owned the Toll House Inn located in Whitman, Massachusetts.  In this era, the Toll House Inn was a popular restaurant that featured home cooking.  

Founded in 1930 by Kenneth and Ruth Wakefield in an 1817 house on Bedford Street in Whitman, MA.

"We had been serving a thin butterscotch nut cookie with ice cream.  Everybody seemed to love it, but I was trying to give them something different.  So I came up with the Toll House cookie.  

Ruth Graves Wakefield

This historical plaque detailing the history of the Toll house installed in 2007.

Sadly, the historic Toll House restaurant, famous as the birthplace of the chocolate chip cookie, was destroyed by fire on New Year's Eve in 1984.  The fire, caused by a kitchen grease fire that spread through the ductwork destroyed the wood-frame building.  It was  never rebuilt.* The famous structure was a 275-year-old landmark located at 362 Bedford Street (Route 18).  Today, a Wendy's and a Walgreens stand where the Toll House once stood. 

*The Toll House was never rebuilt because of a failed attempt to find investors to revive it.  After six years of seeking a new restauranteur to restore the historic landmark, the land was sold for commercial development.  After the fire, the property was later sold by owners, Frank and Carolyn Saccone to Callahan Construction in 1986. Despite marketing efforts, no one was willing to take on the cost of rebuilding and operating the restaurant.

Why does the sign say 1709?

When the Wakefields purchased the property, the year "1709" was written on the chimney in large numbers.  It then became common belief that the building traced back to that date.  That belief lasted until the 1970s when local historian Martha Campbell published a series of columns and letters debunking myths of the Toll House.  Campbell wrote that Wakefield took the 1709 date and ran with it, knowing the value of a "good story".

"There wasn't anything at this corner in 1709.  There wasn't even a corner."

Ruth Graves Wakefield

In 1995, the Whitman Historical Commission published a history of the Toll House, confirming that the original building dates back to 1817. However, the "1709" date still appears in many places including the plaque at the current Toll House monument.

The Toll house remained an institution in Whitman until the Wakefields retired from the business in 1968 and sold the property to the Noel family.  The new owners tried to turn the restaurant into a nightclub called Noel's.  The venture was a disaster.  By the 1970s, Noel's had closed and the owners walked away, leaving the historic building in a state of neglect.  According to the South Shore News, damage to the interior included "gaping plaster holds" and "94 broken windows". 

In 1972, Frank and Carolyn Saccone*, a husband-and-wife team, purchased the derelict property.  Their goal was to restore the Toll House to its former glory. After months of renovations, the Saccone family opened the doors to a restored Toll House Restaurant in 1973.  By 1981, the new owners decided to take advantage of the restaurant's role in cookie history by selling "Toll House cookies" to stores.  This caught the eye of Nestle's who sued the Saccone family over the "Toll House" trademark.  In 1983, a federal judge ruled that the "Toll House cookie" had become part of the common language and was no longer subject to trademark. 

*Frank and Carolyn Saccone have both passed though Carolyn's obituary mentions the Toll House .. "Frank was a CPA and became the accountant of the great boxer, Rocky Marciano.  During their lifetime they embarked on several successful business ventures including the restoration of the famous Toll House Restaurant in Whitman, MA.  Carolyn and Frank ran the Toll House from 1972-1984 where Carolyn led the design and decoration, coordinated its numerous weddings and served as hostess.  One of the great joys in Carolyn's life was working with the many brides and grooms and always making sure their special day was indeed, special."

In the closing minutes of New Year's Eve 1983, the entire history of the Toll house went up in flames.  At about 11:30 p.m. just after the kitchen closed, a grease fire broke out.  An automatic fire extinguisher was triggered though by then, the fire had already worked its way through the ducts and into the attic of the building.  The fire chief told the Brockton Enterprise at the time .. "It was a firefighter's nightmare.  There was no fire stops in the partitions and false ceilings were everywhere." Fire departments from Whitman and four surrounding towns responded to the blaze.  No injuries were reported though by the time the fire was brought under control, the Toll House had been lost.

ONE MORE ATTEMPT AT A COMEBACK

Two years after the fire, the Saccone family sold the ruined Toll House property to Callahan Construction. According to the Boston Globe, Callahan marketed the land to potential restaurant owners to revive the Toll House though after six years of trying, the company turned to bids for fast-food restaurants and condos. At the time, Steve Callahan told the Boston Globe .. "Nobody wanted to fill this location with a Toll House Restaurant more than we did."

LOSING THE TOLL HOUSE FOR GOOD

What was once the rear parcel of the Toll House property was turned into condominums, dubbed the Toll House Village.  In 1993, the southern end of the property was sold to make way for a Wendy's.

It marked the end of an era in Whitman. 

"I have mixed feelings about losing the Toll House.  But it's better to have something than nothing at all.

Dick Cole, Chairman of the Whitman Board of Selectmen

As a condition for building the restaurant, Wendy's agreed with the town of Whitman to display clippings and photos of the old Toll House.  

 While the Toll House is gone, the site on Bedford Street is now marked with an historical marker and a restored sign.  Nestle's sweetened the deal by offering $25.000 in funding for the sign project. In 2021, the sign underwent another restoration.  Lighting was also added to the sign to better display the monument. 

A scanned image of the original Toll house Restaurant as it appears in the Massachusetts Cultural Resource Information System.

Circa 1982

In 1930, Ruth and Kenneth Wakefield purchased an old Cape Cod-style cottage for $6,500.  The property, built in 1817, was a private residence until just a few years before the Wakefields took over.  Even as the country dove into the Great Depression, the Wakefields sought to open a restaurant "that served wholesome meals in a congenial atmosphere."  The original restaurant had seven tables, one waitress and one chef.  Within three years, the Toll House had expanded to 64 tables and claimed to serve 2,000 guests per day.  The Toll House was a booming success, with much of the credit going to the restaurant's impeccable service and Ruth Wakefield's famous cookie and desserts. 

The Toll House drew rave reviews for their Boston cream pie and pecan rolls though most of all, Ruth Graves Wakefield remains best known for her innovative spin on a butterscotch nut cookie that was served as a free add-on to ice cream.  You might know it better as the .. chocolate chip cookie. 

As the Toll House grew in fame, so did its list of customers!  Among those who dined there were boxing legend Rocky Marciano, food expert Duncan Hines, Boston Mayor James Michael Curley and then United States Senator, John F. Kennedy. One of the Toll Houses' future owners claimed that Kennedy ate at the restaurant once a week during his time in the Senate.  

According to Carolyn Wyman, author of "The Great American Chocolate Chip Cookie Book", the future president's father, Joseph Kennedy, Sr. "stopped there twice a week for years." 

Throughout her life, Wakefield found occupation as a dietitian, educator, business owner and published author.  She wrote a cookbook titled Ruth Wakefield's Toll House:  Tried and True Recipes.  

Circa 1938

Being the absolute legend she was, Ruth didn't keep the recipe a secret, but gave it out on hand-typed cards before selling the rights to Nestle's for $1.00 and a lifetime supply of chocolate!  

RIP RUTH

Derby Hats and Their History 

The Kentucky Derby is just as much about the fashion as the race, itself.  Every spring since 1875 Churchill Downs floods with society's most fashionable spectators to watch the Run for the Roses.  There are many traditions associated with the Derby's long history such as mint juleps, the roses awarded to the winning horse and the playing of "My Old Kentucky Home" though none are as fun and unique as the hats that are on display each year in May at Churchill Downs. 

The tradition of the Kentucky Derby hat began at the inception of the race.  The founder, Colonel Meriweather Lewis Clark, Jr. wanted to ensure a "respectable" crowd at his event and to emulate British racing's high-fashion and formal dress.

  Originally, the Derby hats were modest, but they evolved into large, extravagant and a colorful display of "social peacocking" in the 1960s, driven by television coverage and the desire to stand out!

In the early 20th century the hats were heavily influenced by Southern charm and the fashion of the day, with society women wearing large, elaborate hats with feathers, bows flowers and ribbons as a sign of status.

The 1960s television shift made people wish to be seen.  The style shifted from simple, elegant hats to larger, more daring designs to gain attention on camera. Today, "going big" is part of the tradition, with many wearing custom-made, over-the-top creations and "fascinators" which are small headpieces on a clip or headband.

Symbolism and evolution holds that a larger hat brings better racing odds which contributes to the oversized, dramatic styles worn today and a bit of racing good luck thrown in. 

The event is often described as a "fashionable carnival" where women can express their personal style and creativity with hats in many colors and personal flair.

While traditional wide-brimmed hats are still popular, fascinators have become increasingly common, particularly among those who prefer a more modern or British-inspired look. 

The traditon of the hats lives on as a fun element to the races and more practically to keep the sun out of spectator's eyes.  

Placing a Bet?

Sidenote:  Wearing green hats at the Kentucky Derby is considered bad luck as it is traditionally believed to bring misfortune to gamblers, owners and jockeys on race day.  Despite not being a strict rule, many attendees avoid the color, green.  Many prefer to wear red to honor the "Run for the Roses" nickname. Pink is specifically encouraged for Kentucky Oaks Day which takes place the day prior to the "Run for the Roses". 

Carrying a $50 bill is also considered bad luck for those betting on the races. 

 

Mother's Day 2026 celebrated annually on the second Sunday of May in the United States, this day honors mothers and mother figures with traditions like brunch, flowers and gifts.  Many retailers and restaurants offer special promotions and last-minute delivery options for the holiday. 

Established in the United States in 1914 to honor individual mothers it was derived from "Mothering Sunday" in the UK and activism for peace by women like Julia Ward Howe.

In 1870, Julia Ward Howe wrote the "Mother's Day Proclamation" a call to action for women to unite for world peace.

Anna Reeves Jarvis is recognized as the founder of the modern Mother's day in the United States, seeeking to honor her own mother's wish for a day recognizing mothers' contributions to our lives. In 1908, Jarvis held the first official Mother's Day at Andrews Methodist Episcopal Church in Grafton, West Virginia. Anna's mother, who created "Mother's Day Work Clubs" to improve sanitation and care for children and later promoted "Mother's Friendship Day" to unite families divided by the Civil War. 

In 1914, President Woodrow Wilson signed a proclamation declaring the second Sunday in May as Mother's Day.

Maternal Admiration

by

William-Adolphe Bouguereau

 

🌟 LUCAS WEST 🌟 

Fredonia Senior Lucas West Shines as Finalist on NBC's "The Voice".

🌟 

Lucas West, a senior at the State University of New York at Fredonia, concluded his run on NBC's hit show "The Voice" during the season finale on April 14 earning national recognition for his performances throughout the competition.

West and three other finalists each performed two songs on the final episode.  West chose "Cold as Ice" by Foreigner and later in the show sang "Ordinary People" recorded by John Legend who was West's coach on "The Voice". West did not play the piano on "Cold as Ice" though played the piano without an accompanying band for "Ordinary People". 

"Your voice sounded more clear and powerful than ever.  I love that you did Ordinary People really on your own.  That is the purity of you.  I'm so proud of Lucas.  I love working with a real musician who understands what it means to be a pianist, be an arranger and of course what it means to be a great vocalist and performer."

 🌟 John Legend  🌟 

SUNY Fredonia held a watch party at the Williams Center to cheer for West during the finale.  Among the participants was Sarah Hamilton, Interim Dean of the College of Music, Theatre and Dance.

"On behalf of my colleagues and students, we are excited to see Lucas move forward with his dreams.  We are so glad to have been able to support him in this journey, and so very proud of all the work he has put in and the very talented artist he has become!"

Sarah Hamilton

West, as senior music major with a concentration in Jazz Studies in Fredonia's School of Music, advanced through multiple rounds of nationally televised competition, building a following with performances that highlighted his musicianship and artistry.  

His journey began in a Mason Hall practice room, where he recorded and submitted an audition video, a step that ultimately led to his selection for the show.  After progressing through several rounds, West received the news while on campus, calling the moment "an answer to alot of prayers". During the competition, he worked closely with celebrity coaches John Legend, Adam Levine and Kelly Clarkson, gaining insight into the professional music industry.  

"Working with the coaches is absolutely surreal.  You realize they're doing what all of us music students are doing, just at the highest possible level."

🌟 Lucas West 🌟 

While at Fredonia, West has honed his skills through performance-based learning including ensemble participation and individualized instruction.  

"The training I've received here has really shaped me, not just as a jazz musician, but as a musician overall."

🌟 Lucas West 🌟 

West's mentors in the School of Music said his combination of talent and curiosity set him apart early on.

Lucas came in with a strong skill set, but what makes him special is his openness to growth.  He's always learning, always exploring and that's what allows artists to reach this level.  There's a lot of power in what he does and learning to lean into that and express it fully has been part of his growth."

James Harrington, Assistant Professor of Voice

Harrington added that West's success reflects both his artistry and his ability to fully embrace his own voice.

"When I first met Lucas he was a naturally gifted musician who could rise to challenges very quickly.  What's been most impressive is his drive and his abillity to take advantage of every opportunity to grow."

Dr. Nick Weiser, Asssociate Professor and Coordinator of Fredonia's Jazz Studies 

Weiser added that Lucas stood out from the beginning for both his talent and work ethic.  Weiser noted that Fredonia's program structure helped support that growth.

"With a program our size, students can explore multiple areas and gain real performance experience.  That kind of versatility and preparation is what allows them to succeed at the highest levels."

Dr. Nick Weiser

West credited the university's supportive environment and faculty mentorship for helping prepare him for the national stage.  

"That cycle of support never felt disingenuous.  They cared about my success and my well-being first."

 🌟 Lucas West 🌟 

"West's national exposure reflects the strength of Fredonia's music programs and the opportunites available to students."

James Harrington

While Lucas' run on "The Voice" has concluded, he said the experience has had a lasting impact on his development as an artist.  

"My favorite part about 'The Voice' was meeting people who are tryng to hone their craft at a high level.  That experience is something I'll carry with me."

Lucas West

🌟 

Thank you, Lucas for sharing your talents with us.  It was a pleasure to meet you on campus prior to graduation during the Q&A event that showcased your personal experience on "The Voice".  Lucas has truly come "full circle" with John Legend from his mother, Kristen playing Legend music in their home to Lucas eventually meeting and performing with John Legend on "The Voice".  

🌟 

 Continue to Reach for the Stars, Lucas!

 

This day is a significant holiday for restaurants and bars featuring margaritas, Mexican cuisine and desserts!

Deliciosa!