Salt Water Taffy

[James A. Landau]

Let me at least give exact quotations:

Harold F. Wilson _The Jersey Shore: A Social and Economic History of the
Counties of Atlantic, Cape May, Monmouth, and Ocean_ New York: Lewis
Historical Publishing Company Inc., 1953.  Volume I page 549

<begin quote>
     In the latter 19th Century the introduction of "salt water taffy," which
was not made of salt water, brought a new product which became a specialty of
the shore and offered opportunities to send a characteristic sweet to friends
back home.  According to one version, "salt water taffy" was first made in
1883 by David Bradley, whose small candy stand was on the sea-side of the old
Boardwalk just two steps above sand level.  There he specialized in taffy.
One night, the local legend goes, a generous full-moon tide brought a lively
surf which dampened his stock.  The next morning, after he had wiped off his
sweets, a little girl customer stopped by and asked for some taffy.  Mr.
Bradley queries "You mean 'salt water taffy,' don't you?"  The small customer
seemed to like the candy, and Bradley's sister and mother, who had overheard
the remark later declared that to be a good name on which to capitalize.
Bradley suggested making the taffy with ocean water, but his mother advocated
changing only the name.  The taffy was to be made by the regular recipe.
When the season of 1884 opened, Bradley ordered muslin signs made which he
had lettered "Salt Water Taffy."  Soon the business began to boom and by the
end of this period, other concerns were making a similarly named product.
[41]  This gave rise to a local industry that shipped out over three million
poiunds of the taffy in one season in the 1940's. [42]

Note 41: James' Salt Water Taffy Co., 1519 Boardwalk, Atlantic City, pamphlet
"Mr. Bradley Had an Accident."

Note 42: Frank Butler _History of Southern New Jersey_ (Atlantic City Press
pamphlet, 1949, no pp.)
<end quote>

So far so good, but:

no author listed _The Jersey Shore: A Social and Economic History of the
Counties of Atlantic, Cape May, Monmouth, and Ocean  Volume III Family and
Personal History_ New York: Lewis Historical Publishing Company Inc., 1953.
page 332

<begin quote>
For it was in June, 1885, that Joseph Fralinger embarked in the candy
business, introducing a product which has made the name Fralinger synonymous
with salt water taffy, which won the Gold Medal for excellence of quality at
the Sesqui-Centennial International Exposition and which is sent into all
corners of the globe by visitors to Atlantic City.
     This business and the original formula are still owned and under the
management of the founder's family <snip> The firm is today organized as
Theodore J. Lapres, Inc.  The controlling owner is Mrs. Christine V. Lapres,
president of the corporation and widow of Theodore J. Lapres, and a daughter
of Florence L. Fralinger, late brother of the company's founder.
<end quote>

Have fun reconciling these two accounts.

At least they agree on one thing: that salt water taffy was "invented" within
the three-year period 1883-85.

Footnote 41 confirms that there was a James company which claimed that
Bradley rather than Fralinger invented salt water taffy.

     - Jim Landau