Category: maple history news

History Chapter in New Edition of Maple Syrup Producers Manual

Matthew M. Thomas

Recently the revised and updated 3rd edition of the North American Maple Syrup Producers Manual was released as a FREE digital download in PDF format. The newest edition was many years in the making since the 2nd edition came out in 2006.

With this latest edition, I am happy to share that I was asked to contribute as a co-author by revising and expanding the previous chapter titled History of Maple Syrup and Sugar Production, written by Dr. Melvin Koelling.

To get access to the complete download of the manual, send a blank email to mapleproducersmanual@gmail.com and you will receive a link to view and download the 434-page manual.

On-demand print versions of the complete manual will be available for sale in the next few months. If you are interested in a PDF copy of the history chapter I helped write, you can read and download a PDF of only the history chapter here or by clicking on the image of the article.

The Loss of a Vermont Maple Historian – Wilson “Bill” Clark

The maple syrup industry lost one of its longstanding historians in May with the passing of Wilson “Bill” S. Clark, age 89 of Wells and Pawlet, Vermont.  Bill was well known within the maple world for his many leadership and spokesperson roles, including past roles as president of the Rutland County Maple Producers (RCMP), President of the International Maple Syrup Institute, President of the North American Maple Syrup Council, and a 32 year run as president of the Vermont Maple Sugar Makers Association (VMSMA). Amongst a variety of awards and recognition, Bill was also inducted into the Maple Syrup Hall of Fame in 1995. With his connections to and experience with the world of maple syrup, Bill was more than simply interested in maple history, he was a part of making history and understood the importance of recording and preserving that history for future generations.

In 2018 Bill published a history of the Vermont Maple Sugar Makers Association in the Vermont Country Sampler, telling some of the highlights of the first 100 years of the organization.  Bill also worked with Betty Ann and Don Lockhart to put together a detailed timeline of the history of maple sugaring in Vermont and the larger maple sugaring world. Various examples of this timeline have appeared in print in past editions of the program for the Vermont Maplerama, the popular tour and showcase of local sugarmakers. The version of the history timeline shared here is from the 2014 Maplerama program.

In addition to his telling the story of the activities of the VMSMA and the RCMP in the latter half of the 20th century, Bill also wrote a short memoir in 2001 on the most busy years of his life with maple that he titled Forty Years and Five Days: A Vermont Story.

My first memory of Bill was meeting him at his home in the spring of 2001 when I was on a research trip to Vermont to begin my “education” on maple syrup history. And boy did I ever dive in head first. Bill spoke to me non-stop of three hours as I scribbled notes as fast as my pencil could write. For those that knew Bill, it was clear that Bill was a thoughtful man and one heck of a talker. He was a treasure trove of recollections and knowledge and also one of very strong opinions that he was never afraid to share. His passion for maple history and his sharing of that by putting much of what he had learned in writing has served us all. Thank you Bill. Rest in Peace.

Below are links to a few of the maple history writings put together and shared by Bill Clark over the years.

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Bill Clark’s history of the Vermont Maple Sugar Makers Association which appeared in the March 2018 edition of The Vermont Country Sampler.

 

 

 

 

 

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A Vermont Maple History Timeline compiled by Betty Ann Lockhart and Don Lockhart with substantial contributions by Bill Clark.

 

 

 

 

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Bill Clark’s history of the beginnings of the Vermont Maplerama, which appeared in the 2014 Maplerama program.

 

 

 

 

Archaeological Investigations of Old Sugaring Site in Minnesota

The spring 2020 edition of the Minnesota Archaeological Society newsletter features an article titled Boiling Arch Archaeology by Nicole Foss. This article, available here, describes recent archaeological investigations that documented the remains of two u-shaped boiling arches in Interstate State Park, near the St. Croix River and Taylors Falls, Minnesota.

One arch was constructed of bermed earth, stone, and brick while the other, probably later arch, was built poured concrete with three walls and a concrete floor. Historical research and archaeological investigations determined that the arches were probably open air boiling sites used by local syrup makers of European-American descent in the late 1800s to mid-1900s.

Archaeologist have been recording the remains of former maple sugaring and syrup making sites in the upper midwest for the last 40 years, although it is only in the last 20 years that there has been an increase in recognizing and documenting boiling arches as important features of many sugaring sites of both Euro-American and Native American sugarmakers. The report of finding these two arches is a valuable contribution to the historic archaeological record in Minnesota.

In addition to providing permission to share the newsletter article here, site investigators Jacob Foss, Nicole Foss, and David Radford were kind enough to share a few additional photographs from the site.

Photograph of earth and stone u-shaped boiling arch at Hobb’s Woods maple sugaring site, Interstate State Park, Minnesota.
Photograph of the remains of the concrete U-shaped boiling arch at the Hobb’s Woods maple sugaring site in Interstate State Park, Minnesota.
Photograph of a metal maple sugaring spout found at the Hobb’s Woods maple sugaring site at Interstate State Park, Minnesota.

Have You Ever Wanted Your Own Maple Museum?

For most fans of maple syrup history, the idea of having your own maple museum would be nothing more than a pipe dream. Well dream no more. For the right buyer, the New England Maple Museum in Pittsford, Vermont can be yours, as reported in the December 4th edition of the Rutland Herald.

The unique sugarhouse shape of the New England Maple Museum complete with cupola and smoke stack.

Yep, a ready-made maple museum, complete with a wide array of artifacts, maple history exhibits, and extensive gift shop is currently on the market. Unfortunately, unexpected serious health issues have led the owners Mike and Mary Blanchard to their decision to sell the museum started by their friends Tom and Dona Olson 41 years ago.

We wish the Blanchards well in dealing with their health concerns and hope that a good match can be found to keep the museum open and sharing the maple history story.