Major Events in the History of Cranberry Production

1550 Native Americans use cranberries for food, dyes and medicine.
1620 Pilgrims learn to use cranberries from the Native Americans.
1683 Cranberry juice made by settlers.
1816 Captain Henry Hall first cultivated cranberries in Dennis, MA.
1820’s Cranberries shipped to Europe for sale
1838 First record of ice sanding on bogs and Flooding first used to control insects and prevent frost damage.
1843 Eli Howes cultivated Howes variety of cranberries in East Dennis, MA.
1845 “An Act for the Protection of Cranberries on Gay Head” put forth by Gay Head Indians on Martha’s Vineyard.
1847 Cyrus Cahoon cultivated Early Black variety cranberries, in Harwich, MA.
1850’s First cranberry scoops used for harvest and water harvesting tried, but abandoned. Seamen used cranberries to prevent scurvy at sea.
1854 First census of cranberry acreage – 197 acres in Barnstable County, MA.
1856 The Cranberry and Its Culture published by Benjamin Eastwood.
1863 U. S. Department of Agriculture created Massachusetts Agricultural College (University of Massachusetts). Abraham Lincoln proclaims first national Thanksgiving.
1868 Standard 100 lb. Barrel of cranberries sold for fifty-eight cents in Philadelphia, PA.
1871 American Cranberry Growers’ Association formed in New Jersey.
1870’s Six quart pail used as standard picking measure.
1887 Snap scoop invented for younger vines by Daniel Lumbert.
1888 Cape Cod Cranberry Growers’ Association formed in Massachusetts.
1906 Henry J. Franklin – Began formal agricultural research on cranberries.
1907 First market cooperative – New England Cranberry Sales Company founded.
1910 Cranberry Experiment Station research facility established in Wareham, MA. Dr. Henry J. Franklin named first director. More efficient rocker scoop used.
1912 Hayden cranberry separator patented. First cranberry sauce marketed, Hanson, MA.
1920 Oscar Terbo invented first mechanical ride-on dry harvester known as Mathewson. Telephone frost warning system started.
1923 Bailey Separator patented to grade and separate cranberries by bouncing the berries.
1930 Ocean Spray Cranberries, Inc. formed as a grower owned marketing cooperative.
1930’s Women allowed to use scoops.
1947 Walk behind mechanical dry harvesters replaced hand scooping.
1953 First million barrel National crop.
1959 Cranberry scare causes industry market crash.
1960’s First successful water harvesting. Sprinkler systems installed on most bogs. Cranberry products diversify and market expands.
1970’s Integrated Pest Management programs developed.
1980’s International markets developed for cranberries. Demand for cranberry juice and juice blends rise dramatically.
1990’s Diversified cranberry products become ingredients in other foods. Global demand for cranberry products continues to grow. New plantings of cranberries increase in an attempt to meet growing demand. Cranberry prices reach an historic high.
1996 An over supply of cranberries, plus other economic and business hurdles, cause a dramatic drop in cranberry prices, causing an economic uncertainty and a destabilizing of the cranberry industry.
2000’s With cranberry supply better matching demand, cranberry prices begin to stabilize and the industry begins to return to profitability.