The origin of sugar-coated popcorn with a mixture of peanuts is unknown, but periodicals document its manufacture and sale in North America as far back as the early 19th century. The
Freeport, Illinois Daily Journal newspaper published on January 29, 1857, for example, contains an advertisement by a local merchant selling sugar-coated popcorn. Recipes for popcorn and peanut mixtures were mentioned in North American literature and expressions of speech: • Page 4 of the Friday, August 23, 1867, edition of the
Evening Star newspaper published in
Washington, D. C., contains the notice:
The Nantucket Inquirer and Mirror says, "Peanuts and pop-corn were not mixed up with piety when we first knew camp meetings, nor cigar smoking and psalm singing. But the times are changed and we with them." • An inquiry was published on page 362 of the December 5, 1885 issue of
Scientific American, asking how the sugar coating was prepared after the popcorn had popped. • Page 222 of the 1886 edition of the
Pennsylvania Historical Review, Gazetteer, Post-Office, Express and Telegraph Guide lists Goodwin Brothers, 105 North Front Street, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, as manufacturers of Sugar Coated Popcorn, Prize Balls, Corn Balls, Corn Cakes, etc. In Chicago, there are two legends of how Cracker Jack originated: The older attributes it to
Charles Frederick Gunther (1837–1920), also known as "The Candy Man" and "Cracker-Jacks King"; the other attributes it to
Frederick William Rueckheim, a German immigrant known informally as "Fritz", who sold popcorn at 113 Fourth Avenue (now known as Federal Street), in Chicago beginning in 1871. The Rueckheim popcorn was made by hand, using steam equipment. In 1873, Fritz bought out his partner William Brinkmeyer and brought his brother Louis from Germany to join in his venture, forming the company F. W. Rueckheim & Bro. The Rueckheim brothers produced a new recipe, including popcorn, peanuts, and molasses, and first presented it to the public at the
World's Columbian Exposition (Chicago's first
World's Fair) in 1893. The molasses of this early version was too sticky. In 1896, Louis discovered a method to separate the kernels of molasses-coated popcorn during the manufacturing process. As each batch was mixed in a cement-mixer-like drum, a small quantity of oil was added — a closely guarded trade secret. Before this change, the mixture had been difficult to handle, as it stuck together in chunks. == Naming and packaging ==