Whether you’re feeling nostalgic for 1996 or 1896, we’ve got the sweet treats that will take you back to your favorite bygone era!
On Saturday, October 17, from 12:00 to 4:00 p.m., come to our Retro Trick-or-Treat! Multiple locations throughout the library will have candies from Halloweens past, with offerings from the time of our childhoods, our parents’ childhoods, their parents’ childhoods, and farther back still, all the way back to a confection first made in 1890.
Costumes are encouraged but not required, and all candies will be available while supplies last. Thank you to the Rick Johns Memorial Fund for making this event possible. This program is a part of the America 250 initiative, celebrating our nation throughout the year.
While trick-or-treating in its current form hasn’t been around as long as some of these treats, we think they fit right in alongside modern classics like Snickers and Starburst. If you find a new (old?) favorite, consider adding it to your bowl of treats to hand out on Halloween, and help the next generation discover it, too!
This event takes place during our Friends of the Library Fall Book Sale, so you can find your new favorite books while sampling your new favorite candies! New books and free candy. Could there be a more perfect day?
Please feel free to contact Chelsea at [email protected] or (815) 756-9568 ext. 1700 with any questions.
Scroll through the images below to see some of the treats we’ll have available and learn a bit about their history:
Red Bird Peppermint Puffs
1890
These melt-in-your-mouth candies are made simply, with just sugar, peppermint oil, and food coloring. Stripes are still added by hand, making each batch just slightly different!
These treats have deep roots in Lexington, North Carolina, where the Piedmont Candy Compnay has operated for over a century. They’re a staple in houses across the state, especially during the holiday season.
Tootsie Rolls
1896* (disputed, some sources say 1907)
Named for the inventor’s daughter, this was America’s first individually-wrapped penny candy!
Tootsie Rolls were intended to be a chocolate-y treat that wouldn’t melt in the summer heat like traditional chocolate. Their durability motivated the military to include them in sodliers’ rations during WWII.
Hershey's Kisses
1907
This iconic candy initially competed with a similar candy called the Wilbur Bud, introduced in 1894, but Hershey’s mastery of mass production and the introduction of a foil wrapper meant the Kiss came out on top.
And we know we’re too early for Christmas, but who else sees this picture and instantly hears the classic 1990s commercial?
Nik-L-Nips Wax Bottles
1908* (unverified, early 1900s)
Since the company no longer manufactures unique shapes such as turtles, dachshunds, daggers, and, confoundingly, a six-shooter, we’ll have to stick to the classic bottle version!
Moon Pie
1917
A Kentucky Coal Miner asked a traveling salesman for a snack “as big as the moon,” and the rest is history!
Sample the chocolate or the surprisingly delicious banana version, introduced in the 1970s.
Cherry Mash
1918
The iconic red and white packaging design has remained the same since 1930, though the original candy was unwrapped and sold in a box. The first Cherry Mash weighed more than four ounces! (We went with the minis this time. Your stomach will thank us.)
Reese's Peanut Butter Cups
1928
An enterprising Hershey employee named H.B. Reese concocted the first peanut butter cup in his basement, and the company he built was later bought out by Hershey’s in 1963 for $23.5 million! America’s top-selling candy.
Mallo Cups
1936
The Mallo Cup boldly claims to be America’s first cup-shaped candy, a confusing boast since the Reese’s cup predated it by 8 years. The distinction seems to be based on the paper liner included with the Mallo Cup, and only later introduced to the Reese’s. Semantics aside, this creamy confection is a delight.
Did anyone collect Mallo Money? Or know that Mallo Money still exists? Start collecting your points today!
Razzles
1966
It’s a candy, then it’s a gum! It’s also a marketing campaign that gave away t-shirts, tennis racket covers, Sony recorders, and a trip to Disney World! The advertising push perfectly reflected the exuberance of 1980s consumer culture.
Cow Tales
1984
Though the Goetze Candy Company introduced its signature caramel Bull’s Eye’s in 1917, Cow Tales didn’t arrive on the scene until the mid 1980s, making them one of the most modern retro candies we’re offering this year!