Nebraska History posts materials online for your personal use. Please remember that the contents of Nebraska History are copyrighted by the Nebraska State Historical Society (except for materials credited to other institutions). The NSHS retains its copyrights even to materials it posts on the web.

For permission to re-use materials or for photo ordering information, please see: http://www.nebraskahistory.org/magazine/permission.htm

Nebraska State Historical Society members receive four issues of Nebraska History and four issues of Nebraska History News annually. For membership information, see: http://nebraskahistory.org/admin/members/index.htm

Article Title: More Than a Potluck: Shared Meals and Community-Building in Rural Nebraska at the Turn of the Twentieth Century

Full Citation: Nathan B Sanderson, “More Than a Potluck: Shared Meals and Community-Building in Rural Nebraska at the Turn of the Twentieth Century,” Nebraska History 89 (2008): 120-131

URL of article: http://www.nebraskahistory.org/publish/publicat/history/full-text/NH2008Potluck.pdf Date: 2/11/2014

Article Summary: Shared meals were the cornerstone of events and celebrations in Nebraska’s early years, offering rural families a chance to gather, socialize, and escape the lonely drudgery that filled much of their lives.

Cataloging Information:

Names: Luna Sanford Kellie, Etta Simons

Organizations Sponsoring Potlucks: Wagner Sunday School, Knights Templar, Modern Woodmen, Community Club, Old Settlers Club, Scottish Rite Masons, Independent Order of Odd Fellows, Grange, Volunteer Fireman’s Association, United Methodist Church

Nebraska Counties Mentioned: Adams, Cherry, Custer, Fillmore, Lincoln, Keya Paha

Keywords: Luna Sanford Kellie, “The Home” (Loup City Northwestern column)

Photographs / Images: a gathering featuring a shared meal (John Nelson photograph); a family picnic; a meal hosted by the Knights Templar in the park at Broken Bow in 1922; families enjoying watermelon or ice cream at a picnic; Luna Kellie; inset household tips from “The Home”; young people, perhaps gathered for a game or a performance; Nelson Potter and his family, Custer County (Solomon Butcher photograph); 1883 picnic of the Fullerton Methodist Church at Wiltse Grove

MORE THAN A POTLUCK

B Y NAT HAN B. SAN D E RSON

Free ice cream and lemonade. These summer­ time staples were the highlight of the Wagner Sunday School picnic held in rural Custer County on a warm Wednesday afternoon in June 1910.

GE(:)RCiE MOORE MADE THE ICE CREAM, the Sunday School reimbursed her. main course, however, was not purdlasl2d, as "the ladies brought the baskets and a dinner was served."! Throughout the numerous picnics, celebrations, and church events took place in Custer County, many featuring a potluck-style main course. Shared meals, in which families and friends gathered together to eat, drink, and socialize, were an integral part of creating a sense of "community" in rural Nebraska at the turn of the twentieth century. The traditional history of rural Nebraska in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries is a story of determined homesteaders scratching out a life,livelihood, and home from the thick prairie sad. Rugged individuals, usually male, broke the land and built farms, ranches, and communities through the force of their will and constant, never­ While the traditional story of Nebraska's prairie ending, work. Even in the twenty-first century, rural pioneer heritage lives on, recently other aspects of Nebraskans still pride themselves on a tremendous community-building have come to light. Deborah work ethic, a legacy 6f their immigrant forefathers Fink, in Agrarian Women: Wives and Mothers in who spent hard lives at hard labor. But sweat alone Rural Nebraska, 1880-1940, argues that frontier did not build the towns that dot the landscape. life, instead of liberating women and offering them Food, games, and celebrations helped make the a rough equality with men, in fact reasserted the sod, wood, and bricks of these places into commu­ notion that a woman's "proper" place was in the nities of friends and neighbors. home. Fink focuses on the ways in which women's

Shared Meals and Community-Building in Rural Nebraska at the Turn of the Twentieth Century a man

work, which fundamentally influenced the struc­ A community-wide event was likely the setting ture of farming and rural communities, remained where Nelson photographed thisfamily's picnic. NSHSRG3542-102-5 subordinate to men's work, at least in the eyes of their husbands and fathers. In numerous instances, The role of women in rural America has also Fink points out that food-primarily its acquisition received a great deal of study in the last twenty and preparation-was one of the most important years. Works such as Joan Jensen's Calling this elements of a rural Nebraska woman's life." Yet for Place Home and Promise to the Land; Cornelia Pages 120-21: all her focus on food as it relates to women's lives, Flora, Jan Flora, and Susan Fey's Rural Communi­ This photograph of a gath­ ering featuring a shared the enjoyable aspects of mealtimes fail to come to ties: Legacy and Change; Sandra Schackel's meal was taken by Ericson, light. The Iarmwives in Fink's study often mention Western Women's Lives; Nancy Grey Osterund's Nebraska, photographer preparing meals for ice cream socials, picnics, Bonds of Community; and many others have John Nelson sometime in school events, and funerals, but the importance of explored women's roles in rural areas and exam­ the early twentieth century. food in strengthening families and communities is ined the ways in which their lives give insight into The people and places in most of the Nelson photo­ overlooked. the larger story of the growth and development of graphs, including those in The study of food and cooking has been on the the United States.' this article, remain uniden­ rise in recent years and new texts have provided Despite these and many other important works, tified. NSHSRG3542-1-2-11 valuable insight into the ways what we eat, how the relationship between shared meals and the we eat it, and where the eating takes place influ­ sense of "community" in rural areas of Nebraska ences our lives. Titles such as A History of Cooks has been ignored. The towns that dot the Nebraska Nathan B. Sanderson is and Cooking; Women, Food, and Families; and landscape may have been built on sweat and a Ph.D. candidate in A History of Food: From Manna to Microwave have determination, but once the work had ended, American history at the appeared in abundance." No monograph has celebrations with food, games, and socializing University of Nebraska­ explored Nebraska cooking in detail, and although solidified that work as the product of an entire Lincoln. most general studies have noted that different community. These events took on various forms, types of meals cause different feelings among but almost all featured a shared meal as its center­ the participants, few have examined the value of piece. Shared meals were the cornerstone of shared meals as a time of bonding and community­ celebrations in Nebraska's early years, offering building in rural areas. women and their families a chance to gather,

122 . NEBRASKA history socialize, enjoy a meal and a conversation, and As "a meal for which participants share the respon­ escape from the lonely drudgery that filled much sibility of providing the food and taking it to the of their lives. An examination of the meals they meal-site," early residents knew them as "bring a shared offers a glimpse into their lives and gives basket" picnics, chip-in dinners, pitch-in suppers, us a fuller understanding of life, leisure, and work shared picnics, or simply basket meals." By the around the turn of the twentieth century. mid-twentieth century, these meals became known For rural Nebraska families during the late nine­ to many Nebraskans as "potlucks." Before taking teenth and early twentieth centuries, any chance on this meaning, a potluck meal meant (and still for social interaction was an important event. does, in some places) literally "taking the luck of Settlers often lived miles from their nearest neigh­ the pot." If a man invited a friend home for pot­ bor and the steady labor required to keep up a luck, he offered whatever his wife happened to homestead offered few opportunities for leisure be cooking. In print, the term can be traced to the activities. As D. Sven Nordin observed in Rich sixteenth century, although its origins likely extend Harvest: A History ofthe Grange, 1867-1900, "a back even farther. In Europe during the early farmer's lot in the nineteenth century was noted Middle Ages, servants at large estates cooked food more for its backbreaking work than for its pleasur­ in a massive cauldron, left hanging over the fire for able aspects." Isolation from relatives, friends, and days at a time. As Reay Tannahill noted in Food in neighbors brought mental and emotional suffering History, "[t] he cauldron, probably, was the original to many homesteaders; loneliness, the perceived stockpot or pot-au-feu, providing an ever-changing desolation of the land, and the difficulty of making broth enriched daily with whatever happened to Most Nebraska money on a new claim drove many to escape the be available, and very rarely cleared out except in newspapers did not plains any way they could." To reduce feelings of preparation for the meatless weeks of Lent." The seclusion and isolation, rural Nebraskans engaged regular addition of new food to the pot changed begin referring to in many social activities that combined work, its flavor constantly, possibly leading to the phrase, shared meals as food, and entertainment. Events such as barn "to take pot-luck." raisings, corn huskings, quilting parties, Grange Later, the term "potluck" was also used as a meetings, church activities, and school functions general luck-of-the-draw phrase in various parts of until the 1930s offered an opportunity to enjoy the company of the United States. Jack London, for example, used or later. . . ." others, if only for a short time. At these events the word in such a manner in his 1901 short story meals in which each family brought food to share "The God of His Fathers." In the story, a small group with the entire group were commonplace. of whites face long odds of survival in a confronta­ Whether providing a harvest-season lunch tion with an Indian band. One man mentions to a break, an after-meeting social hour, a holiday feast, companion, "if the woman and the kid cross the or a weekend supper, these group meals offered divide to-night they might as well be prepared for participants something beyond physical nourish­ pot-luck. A long shot, Bill, between ourselves, but ment; they helped develop collections of rural nothing lost if it misses." London wrote the story settlers into communities. These events gave sometime in early 1900,suggesting a general knowl­ individuals the chance to converse, conduct edge of the term by that time." Most Nebraska business, discuss politics, air grievances, meet newspapers did not begin referring to shared new people, and engage in sports and other meals as "potlucks" until the 1930s or later, but recreational activities; they became celebrations taking "well-filled baskets" to birthdays, threshings, of friendship and community. In the act of sharing picnics, county fairs, church gatherings, barn­ food, rural families entered into unique relation­ raisings, and even funerals was common around ships that strengthened the bonds between the turn of the twentieth century. Although partici­ individuals who had limited opportunities for pants in some communities referred to these meals recreation. These meals became unifying events as "bring a basket" picnics or shared meals rather in the lives of rural Nebraskans because they drew than "potluck suppers," the idea of each family families together and created an environment in bringing food for distribution among the entire which differences such as language, religion, and group existed in small towns and rural communi­ ethnicity could be set aside. Potlucks helped turn ties across the state, in numerous forms, and for groups of families who lived in proximity to one dozens of different events. another into communities of friends and neighbors. In the early 1900s women in rural Nebraska Shared meals, in the way that Nebraskans knew communities served these meals on countless them, existed under a myriad of different names. occasions. In Geneva, the county seat of Fillmore

FALL 2008 • 123 County, residents brought "baskets well filled with form a united, cohesive community. As Fink noted good things to eat" as birthday surprises for local in Agrarian Women, "families were the building residents. For "Mrs. Fred Whittier's birthday" on blocks of society." Since each family felt on par March 24, 1908, a number of community women, with its neighbors, the opportunity for a sense of including "Madams Oberkotter, C.Stolldorf, goodwill in the community was much greater and Lentfer, H. Bohlen, 1. Bohlen, Gerken, Evert and led to a stronger feeling of attachment and friend­ B. Toblassen" brought food items for the party. ship. Such friendships were integral at key periods The ladies" [a]IIenjoyed themselves very much of the year, such as harvest. Again, Fink notes the and when they left wished [Mrs. Whittier] many connection of women, food, work, and community: happy returns." Less than a month later the Women, who were foremost wives and moth­ Nebraska Signal carried news of a birthday ers, participated in rural society in terms of celebration for two Grand Army of the Republic their family roles. When, for example, a farm veterans, Sam Hughey and Mr. Price. Area-women woman went to her neighbor's home to help again came with "well filled baskets, such as only her cook food for a threshing crew that in­ they know how to prepare to tickle the palate of cluded both of their husbands, they were the G. A. R." One week later, the local Christian forming a wider rural social network on the Church congregation held a basket dinner during strength of their roles as farm wives. When a the noon hour of its all-day church services. The mother joined other mothers to provide food for a school party, they came together because newspaper's advertisement for the event called for of their shared motherhood. 10 participants to come and "help make this the great­ est day of the church year." Shared meals offered Custer County, in central Nebraska, also had a small and large groups the flexibility to provide a large number of shared meals and social events. meal for every participant, without an undue In August 1922 the front page of the Custer County burden on any individual family." Chief featured the results of three picnics, including Because each family brought food to share with one enjoyed by members of the Knights TempIar. everyone, the cost of the meal was distributed The organization had hosted a "mammoth picnic evenly, creating an environment where no one dinner, which proved to be a sumptuous meal individual had a higher status than the rest. with provisions enough for two or three times Although gender equality was far from equal-the the number which participated." The Modern women had prepared the meal, of course-the Woodmen and the Community Club held similar intra-family equality such meals created helped events. That year proved especially memorable

Nelson captured a scene that evokes the "sumptu­ ous meal" hosted by the KnightsTemplar in the park at Broken Bow in 1922. NSHS RG3542-102-17

124 • NEBRASKA history for the Community Club because it had used the as well, and several earned leadership positions in recently built kitchen facilities at the local park for Nebraska Grange chapters. Even though women the first time. Members found it "very convenient could (and did) hold leadership roles, they alone in preparing their menus."!' The "bring a basket" provided the meals. meals enjoyed by these organizations, and the For both men and women, however, the after­ funds spent building the park's kitchen to host business meal calmed tempers and restored the them, points to the importance of these events in camaraderie lost during heated debates over con- the social life of rural communities. Shared meals were popular in Sherman, Cherry, Adams, Keya Paha, Lincoln, Fillmore, and many other Nebraska counties throughout the first two decades of the twentieth century. In the spring, one-room school houses often used basket meals to celebrate the end of the academic year. At many country schools, "[t] he last day of school was always a gala affair, to which parents brought baskets of food for picnics after the closing exer­ cises had taken place."12 Dozens of social and fraternal clubs, including the Scottish Rite Masons, Knights Templar, Modern Woodmen, and the Inde­ pendent Order of Odd Fellows held shared meals at their meetings or during summer picnics where "nearly all brought baskets or hampers filled with those good things so essential to a successful pic­ nic."13 Old settlers' clubs hosted potluck picnics along the banks of the North Loup and North Platte Rivers, agriculture societies and farmers' clubs Judging from the tubs in the foreground of this Nelson photograph, the families may be enjoying enjoyed shared suppers in pastures and fields, watermelon or ice cream as part of their summer­ domestic societies entertained in potluck fashion time picnic. NSHS RG3542-102-12 in opera houses, religious congregations held basket meals in parks and on the church lawn, and troversial issues. During the meetings, competing after the re-emergence of the Nebraska Grange of arguments often emerged. But as one former the Patrons of Husbandry in 1911, Grange chapters Grange member noted, the" [f] requent differences ate these meals during the "social hour" following of opinion in Grange meetings, which appear to their meetings. threaten the harmony of the group by the intensity At many For more than a few rural families, the Grange of their discussion, are happily reconciled through country schools, hall and the meals it hosted became the keys to the medium of the social hour of refreshment "the last day of building a strong, close-knit community. As Max E. and good fellowship which follows the business Malone noted in The Grange in Nebraska, "the session."15 The shared meal provided time for school was always a Grange meeting night was the major social event antagonists' feeling to moderate and invited more gala affair, to which of the community. Along with the church and relaxed conversation to begin, easing tense situa­ parents brought school, they were the bonds that held the commu­ tions and producing an atmosphere of solidarity nity together." 14 Shared meals were the lynchpins and good will. Post-meeting potlucks acted as baskets of food for of these bonds. At Grange meetings, grain farmers, buffers for hot tempers and gave Nebraska Grange picnics after the cattlemen, and other agriculturists gathered to members the opportunity to mend rifts that could closing exercises had discuss issues relevant to their livelihoods. Once have pushed the chapters apart. Instead, Grange the business ended, most members stayed to halls became important social places for rural taken place. " socialize. Often, families traveled together to these Nebraskans, who saw them as "one of the few gatherings, which became important social events places where the whole family may attend together for the entire area. While the men discussed topics for sociability, education and meet other families such as business, the weather, commodity prices, on a common level."16 and politics, the women prepared the food they That shared meals occurred at "farmers' picnics brought for the meal, talking as they worked. or Grange field meetings, which, on scale large and Women often participated in business discussions small, have brought together during the summer

FALL 2008 • 125 season thousands of Patrons and their friends at summer and hat and all must be old-fashioned I convenient grove or lakeside, to spend a congenial knew and to get up before the audience that way summer day," seems logical, given their inherent I nearly fainted."18 advantages for meal preparation and organization." Eventually, Kellie agreed to attend and the Shared meals were ideal for events in rural, agri­ preparations began. Her father cut green willow cultural communities because they distributed branches from Sand Creek to construct a bower costs evenly and made meal planning a virtual and went into Juniata-the nearest town-to non-factor. Unlike large banquets or feasts, which purchase items so Kellie could "make a good required much time to organize and significant picnic dinner." She "baked a large pan of light funds to put together, potluck-style meals were biscuits, roasted one of Pa's few light Brahma hens inexpensive and needed little planning beyond, with lots of dressing, made a large cake with loads "bring a basket to share." Rural families also of raisins and some kind of pie so I kept busy and enjoyed the informal adaptability of shared meals. had after all my worries a very good dinner." When They could be organized quickly, and families Kellie arrived at the school on the morning of June were not burdened with any pre-determined dish 25, she saw the extent of the preparations for the to prepare. Weather and growing seasons could first time. Two large bowers, each twelve feet wide, prove unpredictable, and a meal featuring in­ sat near the wooden school building, music stands season fruits, garden produce, or other foods that and a speaker's podium had been built nearby, required little preparation offered great flexibility, and the "whole was well covered with green an important consideration during the agriculture boughs and was quite artistic as well as practi­ cycles of planting, growing, and harvesting that cable." After each family unloaded their food into limited the number of potential foodstuffs. the schoolhouse and made the babies comfort­ In addition to time savings, a shared meal's low able, the festivities began. Several speeches were cost made it an excellent option for large gather­ delivered, including a reading of the Declaration ings and social events. During times of low of Independence (not by Kellie). A band played commodity prices or drought, cost could be the several pieces, and the entire group sang patriotic luna Kellie recalled the most important consideration for hosting a cele­ songs." 1876 centennial celebra­ bration. Because each family "paid their way" with Lunchtime was an informal affair. The families tion at Mayflower School in Adams County, where the food they brought to the meal, everyone was spread their dinners on desks and the entire group a meal was shared and assured an opportunity to participate, regardless of ate together. This type of meal surprised Kellie, friendships made, as a financial resources. In this manner, shared meals especially when her father "brought up some men major influence on her life. blurred class lines and encouraged the and boys who did not seem to have women folks About two years after this participation of newcomers who could not afford there and insisted on feeding them while he 1892 portrait, Kellie was elected state secretary of to attend a gathering that required cash payment. sampled other people's cooking. In fact I think the Nebraska Farmers' This arrangement did much to create a sense of most of the men did the same. I know a good many Alliance. NSHS RG3914-3 community. had a piece of my large fruit cake and women also In her memoirs, Luna (Sanford) Kellie, a former tasted of this and that of the others and all had a state secretary of the Nebraska Farmers Alliance, jolly good time." The adults spent the afternoon recalled a potluck-type event during her first in the same manner as the morning, while the summer on the Great Plains in 1876. In late June children played games. All had an enjoyable time Kellie's family joined several of their Adams until "at last the lowering sun forced us to disband County neighbors to observe the nation's centen­ and the Centennial Celebration at Mayflower nial. They "wanted to celebrate and did not have closed with music by the band."20 the money to fix up their families to go off to some This celebration-Kellie's first social event in town celebration and thought they might get to­ Nebraska-influenced the rest of her life. At the gether and have a picnic and good time at the gathering she met and became friends with Mrs. Mayflower school house." Although she looked Strohl, a woman who would become "my best forward to the event, the nineteen-year-old was friend for nearly 50years." "Without that friendship anxious as well. She had only been in the state for that day begun," she wrote, "I know I must have a few weeks and did not have any clothes fit for a fainted and dropped by the wayside ere many celebration. In addition, Kellie's father asked her years had flown.'?' Thus, the social interaction to read the Declaration of Independence in front afforded during shared mealtimes often had a of the entire group. She recalled, "I told him I had profound influence on people's lives. Although no clothes. I really did not have a new thing that attended by a handful of families lacking clothes

126 0 NEBRASKA history good enough for a "town celebration," this event characterized the confluence of food, family, and community in rural Nebraska. Kellie's experience also illustrates the relaxation and socializing that women enjoyed during shared meals. Often rural women did not get a chance to sit down and eat with the family, as they spent much of their time waiting on the men. Shared meals eliminated this necessity because of their informal nature. Women had more free time during the meal, which they could spend in con­ versation with friends, neighbors, and new acquaintances. Potluck-style meals gave women the flexibility to enjoy themselves without guilt." Just like the small group at the Mayflower school, entire communities often gathered for shared meals during important celebrations. On August 11, 1921, the Custer County Volunteer Fireman's Association held their first annual picnic near Lake Ansley, in central Nebraska. According to the Custer County Chief, since the get-together "was the initial appearance of this newly formed organization in public, the affair created commu­ nity wide interest and a splendid attendance was the result. Over fifteen hundred people were on the grounds and took part in the festivities ... All took along well filled baskets and at noon a general spread was had in the park.'?" The Custer County Fireman's Association probably could not have afforded to host a banquet for fifteen hundred people. A "bring a basket" meal enabled the asso­ ciation to hold a large gathering and easily feed "The Home," and similar columns published in many everyone with minimum expense. rural newspapers, featured recipes and household tips for women. Loup City Northwestern, October 27, During the late nineteenth and early twentieth 1910 centuries, food held a prominent position in , women's lives, both in small towns and outlying filled their columns cover to cover. Recipes, areas. Cooking occupied a key place in the con­ instructions for properly reheating leftovers, and struction of a rural woman's self-image because "new" ways to prepare traditional meals could be often, it was her main occupation. Luna Kellie found on almost every page. Editors from all parts noted the monotony of life in a sod house on the of the state peppered their weekly papers with prairie in the late mid-1870s. "The days seemed hints and advice for women on how to plan and very long," she wrote. "There was nothing to read. cook a successful meal. Throughout the early 191Os, There were few weeds in the garden on the new for example, the Loup City Northwestern ran three sod and no material to sew, only some patching." or more recipes weekly. The paper featured prepa­ During her first few weeks on the plains, with no ration suggestions for beans, potatoes, pudding, chores to finish and little other distraction, cooking rhubarb, apples, and biscuits as well as various was by far the most important activity in her day. jellies, deserts, cakes, drinks, and sweets. All of She also noted that this "chore" was women's' these recipes appeared in "The Home" section, a work. A man would only undertake such pursuits part of the newspaper devoted exclusively to if he was a bachelor, or when his wife took sick." women. Intermixed among the recipes appeared Later, rural newspapers reinforced the connec­ advertisements for cleaning products, tips for sav­ tion between women and food. Advertisements ing time around the house, methods for improving for flour, sugar, canned goods, food preservation the laundry, and techniques for creating a more products, and "the latest" cooking accoutrements attractive horne."

FALL 2008 e 127 Once men

Some newspapers even suggested that good door picnics included some type of athletic event, cooking was the key to a happy marriage. In the including baseball games, horse racing, sack races, fall of 1911,the Custer County Chiefran an article three-legged races, and water fights. Men, women, by a priest who argued that poor cooking caused and children all participated in these activities. greater distress between husband and wife than The 1921 Custer County Fireman's picnic had a spousal disagreements. He contended that "bread program following the meal that "consisted of two of armor plate consistency is often more a source [base] ball games, swimming and foot races, a of marital unhappiness than the more familiar horseshoe tournament and other out door sports.?" incompatibility of temperament."26 In this context, Outside of school, social events like potluck-style shared meals also provided opportunities for' meals gave rural children the opportunity to inter­ women to demonstrate their importance to the act with kids their own age, an important play time community and showcase their culinary talent. for youngsters who often lived miles from the near­ I In addition to providing a chance to leave the est neighbor. Given the difficulty in finding enough homestead, catch up with friends, and enjoy an players to field a baseball team in areas far from afternoon of fun and conversation, shared meals town, shared meals were special events because offered women the chance to exchange recipes they drew enough participants to play games with and food preparation ideas with their peers. nine-man squads. Not surprisingly, baseball proved Although these events did little to place women's especially popular at shared meals throughout work on an equal footing with that of their hus­ Nebraska." bands', shared meals gave both men and women After the meal and some type of athletic event, the chance to interact with others and strengthen communities often ended their celebration with a community ties through the unifying act of break­ dance. When residents of Sparks, Nebraska, com­ ing bread. pleted the town's first church in September 1888, Shared meals were not community-building they organized a celebration that proved so suc­ events simply because they brought together fami­ cessful it became an annual event, later known as lies to consume food or try new recipes. Equally as the Old Settlers' Picnic or the Cherry and Keya important were the recreational activities that took Paha County Old Settlers' Reunion. Etta Simons, a place before, during, and after the meal. In addi­ local resident, described that inaugural gathering: tion to cost distribution and planning ease, shared "A long table was made of boards and everyone meals offered families an opportunity to engage in ate together. There was a feast such as country activities such as sports and games. Almost all out- people can put together and no charge for any-

The young people posing for John Nelson's camera, including more than enough boys to make a baseball team, were attending an event that drew a large crowd. A I shared meal likely pre­ ceded games, musical performances, or an athletic contest, activities that gave rural children an opportunity to interact with kids their own age. NSHS RG3542-102-8

128 . NEBRASKA history the women and children ate what was left. "

thing." The participants sat side-by-side on plank seats "and folks had dinner together." The activi­ ties included a "bowery dance, ball games, horse races and small sports." Eventually this local celebration became a multi-county affair, with a fairgrounds and perimeter fence, including a gated entrance where participants paid admission." From an intimate gathering in the late nineteenth century to a grand community spectacle decades later, for local residents this event moved well beyond a simple meal; it became a key part of the community's social life. Not all shared meals were held during times of celebration or recreation, however. They often occurred during multiple-family work events such as barn raisings and brandings, as well as at harvest and planting times. A woman who lived in Cherry County in the early 1900s reminisced about her Rural families broughf homegrown food to a potluck experiences as a young girl during the harvest meal. Solomon D. Butcher photographed Nelson season: "While the threshing crew of about 8-10 Potter and his family in the garden on their Custer men were busy working up an appetite, the County farm. NSHS RG2608-1357 women folks were busy getting quantities of home prepared foods ready such as dressing friers [sic], they fostered helped provide a sense of closure baking pies, vegetables from the garden, [and] before a family left town. And the bonds they home made bread and butter, truly a feast." helped establish created vast social networks that Because the family had no refrigerator, "everything extended throughout the state and the Great had to be prepared fresh each day." When noon Plains. Celebrations were the most common times arrived, the men washed and ate, while the women for shared meals and they often helped mark and children waited on them. Once "the men had special occasions. In rural communities across finished, the women and children ate what was Nebraska, "[w]hen a new preacher moved to town left." Then they cleared the table and washed the there was a pound party. Everyone took a pound dlshes" of something to a welcome party in his home."32 As families in rural areas gathered to help one In 1908 the English Methodist Church and the another with important agricultural tasks, each German Methodist Church near Kilgore, in north­ brought the products of their own land-meat, central Nebraska, merged. The two former vegetables, and bread-in addition to the labor of congregations pooled their resources and began each family member. They shared the experiences constructing a church building to house the new of work and food, strengthening their social ties at United Methodist congregation. After more than a the same time. The associations formed during one year of work, the congregation completed the new barn raising or threshing often led to other joint structure. Members dedicated their church in June activities between friends and neighbors. Work 1910,and on that "Dedication Sunday a carry-in that required multiple hands to complete could dinner was held at noon, with the Dedication of occur only within a social network of families that the new church home in the afternoon."33 knew each other and could get along together. While the meal the German and English Meth­ Shared meals were an instrumental part of this odists held was not the source of their unification, process. it helped solidify it. Shared meals, such as the one A rural community's social ties seemed most in Kilgore, were the medium that brought people apparent at times of celebration-such as when together and allowed them to share their experi­ congregations dedicated churches or residents ences and celebrate their triumphs. As folklorist celebrated Independence Day-and times of Linda T. Humphrey noted in her article, "Small loss-such as when loved ones died or a family Group Festive Gatherings," "[P]eople use food as moved away from the community. Before a family a catalyst for social interaction." The festive gather­ left, "a farewell pot-luck dinner, and one last visit ings she studied, which include picnics, church was in order.'?' Shared meals and the interaction socials, potlucks, taffy pulls, box socials, reunions,

FALL 2008 • 129 oyster suppers, progressive dinners, and cocktail chapters attended the event, which featured a parties, all share two common characteristics: food "bring a basket" picnic dinner and program of and social interaction. During communal meals, sports that included "a game of baseball, tugs of participants built relationships that could not be war, foot races, [aj bonnet race, penny shower, replicated elsewhere. At rural potluck meals in the and other sports and amusements."36 Grangers late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, traveled long distances to meet other members community-wide socializing helped encourage at this event, no doubt strengthening the intimate and meaningful communication between organization's communication network and rein­ individuals, which created cohesion. Sharing forcing its goals. Such large communal meals emotions and making meaningful connections enabled residents from towns fiftymiles away with others was an important part of rural life. or more to share experiences, ideas, and cuisine Shared meals facilitated that process." that could not be exchanged under other circumstances. One year after the Custer County Volunteer Fireman's Association hosted fifteen hundred people for a shared meal and entertainment in 1921, three thousand people attended the 1922 fireman's picnic. According to the Custer County Chief, People were there from all over the county and across the county line. Everybody brought huge baskets of food and the community ladies of the city served free coffee with cream and sugar during the day and evening. Ice water was served all day. The fireman without a cent in his pockets fared just as well as his brother with hundreds; because everything was free to the boys and their badges were open sesame to all places of amusement." Even single men who failed to bring baskets left with full stomachs. At these events, social interac­ tion and community trumped a person's individual contribution to the celebration. When church congrega­ Nebraskans used "basket meals" to develop a Throughout the late nineteenth and early tions gathered for social sense of community for many of the same reasons twentieth centuries, rural Nebraska towns hosted or religious fellowship, that they attended church services. As Daniel Sack scores of shared meals on church lawns, parks, potluck-style meals were and inside public buildings such as opera houses often served. The 1883 argued in Whitebread Protestants, for many people picnic of the Fullerton "participating in a community is often the most and Grange halls. Residents of Broken Bow, Methodist Church at Wiltse important motivation for attending church, and Arnold, Geneva, Loup City, Bellevue, and other Grove featured a band for shared meals are often more important to creating towns across the state solidified their communities entertainment. NSHS community than are shared worship experiences."35 during "bring a basket" meals and the athletic RG4500-30-1 Communication, achieving a sense of community, events and dances that accompanied them. Partici­ making connections with their neighbors, and pants at these events brought and consumed a having fun were all powerful motivations for rural meal, but they also made conversation, exchanged towns to host these events. ideas, renewed old friendships, introduced new Gathering for a meal, fellowship, conversation, members into the community, and strengthened and entertainment had an impact outside of the kinship ties. Potluck-style meals helped foster the individual communities as well. Complex social transition from collections of families living near networks developed, uniting the inhabitants of one another to social networks of friends and rural towns that were miles apart. In 1911,in neighbors. When individuals from different back­ celebration of the Nebraska Grange's return as a grounds, occupations, and life experiences came productive organization, the Custer County Grange together and ate each other's food, the gathering chapters hosted a "BigGathering" at a tree grove became a unifying event. The widespread appeal near the Tappan Valley schoolhouse. Nine different of shared meals, their ease in preparation, and l 130 . NEBRASKA history their role in building community made them im­ 11 CusterCounty Chief,Aug. 17, 1922.

portant events in the social life of rural Nebraska 12 Federal Writer's Project of the Works Progress Administra­ families. tion for the State of Nebraska, Pamphlet 30, Nebraska Folklore, Written and Compiled by the Nebraska Writers' Project, Works ProgressAdministration,FederalWorksAgency. Sponsored by NOTES the State Superintendent of PublicInstruction. Drawingsby Tadros Geller(Lincoln, Nebr.: Woodruff Printing Company, 1 CusterCounty Chief (Broken Bow, Nebr.), June 24,1910. 1939).

2 Deborah Fink, Agrarian Women: Wives and Mothersin Rural 13 CusterCounty Chief, Aug. 11, 1921. Nebraska, 1880-1940 (Chapel Hill: University of North Carolina '4 Max E. Malone, The Grangein Nebraska (Lincoln, Nebr.: Press, 1992). Joe Christensen, Inc., 1987),22,90. 3 Michael Symons, A History of Cooks and Cooking (Urbana: 15 Charles M. Gardner, The Grange: Friendof the Farmer, University of Illinois Press, 1998); Nickie Charles and Marion 1867-1947 (Washington, D.C.:The National Grange, 1949),222. Kerr, Women, Food, and Families (Manchester, England: Manchester University Press, 1988); and Margaret Leeming, 16 Malone, Grangein Nebraska, 90. A History of Food:FromManna to Microwave (London: BBC 17 Gardner, The Grange, 222. Books, 1991). 18 Luna Kellie, A Prairie Populist: The Memoirs of Luna Kellie, " See Joan Jensen, Calling this Place Home: Women on the ed. Jane Taylor Nelsen (Iowa City: University of Iowa Press, Wisconsin Frontier, 1850-1925 (St. Paul: Minnesota Historical 1992),17-18. Society Press, 2006); Jensen, Promiseto the Land:Essays on Rural Women (Albuquerque: University of New Mexico Press, 19 Ibid., 18-19. L. 1991); Cornelia Butler Flora, Jan Flora, and Susan Fey, Rural 20 Ibid., 20-21. Communities:Legacy and Change (Boulder, Colo.: Westview Press, 2003); Sandra Schackel, Western Women's Lives: 21 Ibid., 20. Continuityand Change in the Twentieth Century(Albuquerque: "Charles and Kerr, Women, Food, and Families, 20. The University of New Mexico Press, 2003); and Nancy Grey authors note that modern-day women often do not get a chance Osterund, Bonds of Community: The Lives of Farm Women in to sit down and enjoy a meal with their family. This monograph Nineteenth-Century New York (Ithaca, N.Y.: Cornell University is based on a study in England during the 1980s, but some of Press, 1991). the conclusions-especially regarding women's attitudes 5 D. Sven Nordin, Rich Harvest: A Historyof the Grange, 1867­toward meal preparation and serving-seem applicable to 1900 (Jackson: University Press of Mississippi, 1974), 109. nineteenth-century Nebraska. Escape for many involved leaving the area for good. Escape for 23 CusterCounty Chief, Aug. 18, 1921. others meant suicide. For a popular firsthand account of both forms of escape in western Nebraska, see Mari Sandoz, Old 24 Kellie, Prairie Populist, 13. She wrote about the rare occa­ Jules (Lincoln: University of Nebraska Press, 1985). sions when her husband 1. T. cooked-when she was sick and

6 Mary Wallace Kelsey, "Ring the Doorbell With Your Elbow: during the winter when the extreme cold confined Luna and A Light-Hearted Look at the American Potluck Meal" in Harlan the children to bed. At these times, only two meals-not the Walker, ed., The Meal: Proceedingson the OxfordSymposium usual three-were prepared each day. on Food and Cookery, 2001 (Devon, England: Prospect Books, 25 Loup City (Nebr.) Northwestern, 1910 to 1912. 2002), 134. 26 CusterCounty Chief, Sept. 1, 1911. 7 Robert A. Palmatier, Food:A Dictionary of Literaland NonliteralTerms (Westport, Conn.: Greenwood Press, 2000), "Ibid, Aug. 18, 1921. 357, and Reay Tannahill, Food in History (New York: Steil) and 28 Communities around Nebraska held baseball games at Day, 1973), 109. almost every summertime potluck-type event. See the Nebraska 8 Jack London, "The God of His Fathers," first published in Signal and ExeterEnterprise, the CusterCounty Chief, and the McClure's Magazine 17 (May 1901), and Earle Labor, Robert C. Loup CityNorthwestern from 1908 to 1925 for abundant Leitz lll, and I. Milo Shepard, eds., The Lettersof Jack London examples. (Stanford, Calif.: Stanford University Press, 1988), 1:153. Herman Melville also used the term "potluck" in his classic work, Moby 29 Potluck Papers: Cherry CountyHeritageBook (Valentine, Dick, in two different contexts. Early in the novel, when Ishmael Nebr.: The Council, 1974),60,65. describes his decision to go to Nantucket and board a whaling 30 Ibid., 29-30. ship, he describes the reaction of his new companion, Queequeg: "He at once resolved to accompany me to that is­ 31 Dickens, Nebraska, Centennial Committee, A Centuryof land, ship aboard the same vessel, get into the same watch, the Memories, 1889-1989, Dickens, Nebraska (Dickens: The same boat, the same mess with me,' in short to share my every Committee, 1989), 158. hap; with both my hands in his, boldly dip into the Potluck of 32 Louise Pound, Nebraska Folklore(Lincoln: University of both worlds." Here, Melville uses "potluck" as an example of a Nebraska Press, 1959), 196. "luck-of-the-draw" phrase. A few pages later, he again uses the term, but in this instance it refers to actual food in a pot. When 33 Potluck Papers, 18. Ishmael and Queequeg are looking for room and board in 34 Linda T. Humphrey, "Small Group Festive Gatherings," Nantucket, they met a man who "plainly hinted that we could Journal of the FolkloreInstitute 16 (September-December, not possibly do better than try pot-luck at the T1Y Pots." See 1979): 190, 192. Herman Melville, Moby Dick or the White Whale (New York: The New American Library of World Literature, 1980), 71, 78. 35 Daniel Sack, WhitebreadProtestants: Food and Religion in American Culture (New York: St. Martins Press, 2000), 62. 9 Nebraska Signal (Geneva, Nebr.), Mar. 27, 1908;Apr. 3 and 10, 1908. 3B CusterCounty Chief, Aug. 25, 1911.

10 Fink, Agrarian Women, 6. "Ibid., Aug. 10, 1922.

FALL 2008 131