Cracker Jack History

I always appreciate the genealogy research of family members, treasuring the rich information they contribute to our ever growing accumulation of family history. One such person is my mother’s cousin, Virginia, who has always been an invaluable resource.

Virginia was much closer to her grandparents than my mother ever was, and from Virginia we are able to gleam more accurate information than might be found from any other family member of her generation.

Virginia has in her possession my great-grandfather’s Day Book, which she has been transcribing. Occasionally she will send us a bit of her work, sharing with us a glimpse of my great-grandparent’s day to day life.

We’ve learned that Great-Grandfather Bakken’s average monthly wage was $61 in 1899. He would often work two weeks straight, yet tried to come home on Sundays. A favorite gift for his children, on his homecoming, were boxes of Cracker Jacks.

When I first read about the Cracker Jacks, I wondered about the “Prize in every box”. Were the prizes much different in my Grandma’s day, than when I was a child? But then I learned (after checking out the Cracker Jack website) that prizes weren’t introduced until 1912, when my Grandma Hilda was 20.

The Cracker Jacks my grandmother enjoyed as a child, did not come with a prize in every box.

(Photo: Andrew & Louisa Bakken Family)