(photo by Flickr user “sometimes rains in JUN”)

While poking around online today, I found a number of webpages that talk about the history of chewing gum. Some interesting facts:

• The ancient Greeks chewed mastiche – a chewing gum made from the resin of the mastic tree.
• The ancient Mayans chewed chicle which is the sap from the sapodilla tree. (that’s where Chiclets must get their name)
• Thomas Adams first tried to change chicle into automobile tires, before inventing a chewing gum that tasted good.
• In 1848 John B. Curtis developed and sold the first commerical chewing gum called The State of Maine Pure Spruce Gum.
• On December 28 1869, William Finley Semple became the first person to patent a chewing gum – U.S patent #98,304.
• By 1888, an Adams’ chewing gum called Tutti-Frutti became the first chew to be sold in a vending machine. The machines were located in a New York City subway station.
• The very first bubble gum was invented by Frank Henry Fleer in 1906. He called it Blibber-Blubber. Fleer’s recipe was later perfected by Walter Diemer, who called his product Double Bubble.

For more facts, read the history of chewing gum at:

• About.com
• StraightDope.com
• CandyUSA.org
• Wikipedia.org
• Cadbury-Adams history of gum

tags: candy gum history facts fun chewing+gum