Food & Drink History Resources @Virginia Tech (and Beyond): Virginia Tech Food History & Cooperative Extension
Special Collections in the University Libraries can help with your food & drink history research, including books, manuscript collections, ephemera & digital items. This LibGuide also includes resources you can find at other institutions.
See also the "Local Foods/Local Food History" section.
Special Collections Culinary Links
From Knox Gelatine: Desserts, Salads, Candies and Frozen Dishes, c.1936
- History of Food & Drink Manuscript Collections
- Digitized Manuscript Collections
- Digitized Books
- What's Cookin' @Special Collections (blog)
- About the History of Food & Drink collecting area
- History of Food & Drink LibGuide
- Infant, Child, & Family Nutrition Resources LibGuide
- Cocktail History in America LibGuide
Suggested Manuscript Collections & Record Groups
- Ann A. Hertzler Collection, 1863-2013 (Bulk, 1974-2000) (Ms2001-004)The Ann A. Hertzler Collection contains biographical information, publications, project and subject files, and artifacts relating to Hertzler's professional career at the University of Missouri-Columbia (1974-1980) and Virginia Tech (1980-2001). Particular areas of emphasis are children's health and nutrition, food and food programs, and Extension publications from both colleges.
- Hotel Roanoke Menus, c.1942-1993 (Ms1999-009)June 1942 menu, Hotel Roanoke Congratulates J. Ed Brown...60 Years Service, is signed by J. Ed Brown. Leather bound menu is undated. Assorted menus from reopened Hotel Roanoke, 1993.
- Janet Barnhill Collection on Cora Bolton McBryde, c.1860s-1910s (Ms2016-019)This collection consists of a handwritten recipe book belonging to Cora Bolton McBryde, as well as three peraonal artifacts: an anniversary plate, a Tiffany & Co. silver spoon, and a metal mold. Most of the materials are undated, other than the plate (1913), but they likely date from the late 19th and early 20th centuries.Cora Bolton McBryde was the wife of John McLaren McBryde, president of Virginia Agricultural and Mechanical College before and during the transition to Virginia Agricultural and Mechanical College and Polytechnic Institute (shortened to Virginia Polytechnic Institute).
- Master Gardener Program Collection, 1970s-2000s (RG 26/2/1)This collection contains 4 boxes of slide sets, some with related scripts, for Virginia Cooperative Extension Service Master Gardener Program. Most materials are undated, but likely date from between the 1970s and early 2000s. The collection is organized into 13 series by broad topic area: Series I: Annuals and Perennials, Series II: Careers in Horticulture, Series III: Flowers, Series IV: 4-H, Series V: Fruits and Vegetables, Seires VI: Gardening and Composting, Series VII: Indoor Houseplants and Indoor Gardening, Series VIII: Landscaping and Lawns, Series IX: Pesticides and Fertilizer, Series X: Plants/Trees/Shrubs, Series XI: Pruning, Series XII: Turfgrass Maintenance, and Series XIII: Weed Control.
- Record Group Vertical Files (Vertical.005)RG 8/2/1 and RG 8/2/1j for dining services history.
- State/Regional Home and Agricultural Publications, 1934-present (Ms2012-040)The collection contains publications on topics including, but not limited to: war-time food use and victory gardens, home planning and organization, food and cooking, home demonstration, and household management. Although the emphasis in on Virginia state and local agencies, materials may also originate from around the United States.
- Virginia Congress on Hunger 1988 Report Collection, 1985-1988 (Ms2015-050)This collection contains the final and draft versions of a report from the Virginia Congress on Hunger discussing hunger and poverty in the Commonwealth of Virginia, entitled "Hunger and Poverty In Virginia: Revisiting the 1985 Report of the Joint Subcommittee Studying Hunger and Malnutrition in the Commonwealth". The report was submitted to the Governor and the General Assembly of Virginia and revisits findings in a previous report by the Virginia Congress on Hunger made in 1985. In addition to the report on hunger, the collection contains a press release from the Virginia Congress announcing the report. Lastly, the collection includes a copy of the 1985 Virginia Congress on Hunger report to the governor and General Assembly of Virginia.
- Virginia Tech Dining Services Records, 1994-2013 (RG 8/2/1j)The Virginia Tech Dining Services Records comprises award submission scrapbooks for events and dinners hosted by the Dining Services department of the Division of Student Affairs that were compiled and submitted for awards from 1994 through 2013. A 2009 schematic design for the food court Turner Place at Lavery Hall is also included.
- William Bradford Alwood Collection, 1854-1927 (Ms1960-003)Professor of horticulture, entomology, and mycology at Virginia Tech (1891-1904); fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science. Papers include research papers, theses, brochures, and notebooks on such subjects as cider, wine making, grapes, and pellagra.
Suggested Books & Publications
Currently known as Virginia Cooperative Extension (VCE), in the past, VCE has had a variety of official names. The library's catalog can be searched for specific VCE (and predecessors) titles and specific authors (extension agents and faculty). In addition, you can view/browse publications by the name of the agency at the time:
- Centennial Cookbook, Virginia Tech Faculty Women's Club LD5655 .V75 Spec VPI
- College of the Fields: Some Highlights of the Virginia Cooperative Extension Service, 1914-1980, prepared and published in cooperation with Alpha Gamma Chapter, Epsilon Sigma Phi LD5655 .E62 1987 Spec VPI
- The First 100 Years; A History of Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Duncan Kinnear LD5655 .K5 Spec VPI
- Food for Thought: a Collection of Recipes from the Virginia Tech Faculty Women's Club LD5655 .F66 1993 Spec VPI
- From VPI to State University: President T. Marshall Hahn, Jr. and the Transformation of Virginia Tech, 1962-1974 by Warren H. Strother and Peter Wallenstein T171.V89 S77 2004 Spec VPI
- The Grove: Recipes and History of Virginia Tech's Presidential Residence by Clara B. Cox LD5655 .A4 2012 Spec VPI
- Home Sweet Home: ... Annual Recipe Contest, Virginia Tech Dining Services LD5655.A781 R4 H66 Spec VPI
- Tech Tailgates: Good Food to Gobble Up on Game Day, Kirsten Titland, Melissa Moncrief Cobbler TX823 .T58 2004 Spec VPI