In 1913 - what were people buying on this date?

[Kelly]

yep
the kind that goes on the oil lamp you sit by to read the Bible
not the kind Santa comes down

[Kelly]

Sunday, December 21, 1913 - store closed

But a bit of history from this date:
The world's first published crossword puzzle appeared in the New York World newspaper. See it here.

[Matt]

He should have patented it.

[Kelly]

December 22,1913

P.K. Morris bought:
3 pounds grapes @ $.60
2 pounds mixed nuts @ .50
3 packages dates @ .36
1 pound bananas @ .25
1 pound figs @ .20
1 package needles .05

John Decker bought:
kidney pills @ .50
butter @ .40

Mrs. Donaldson bought:
1 pound lard .16
Mince @ .20
Sugar @ .50
Beef @ . 50
Shoulder @ .84
2 pounds pork @ .39
Flour (must have been a whole truckload) @ 6.50

John Goodrich bought:
2 packages prunes @ .25
4 quarts of berries @ .50
1 package yeast .05
clothes line @ .25
6 cans corn @ .75
2 cans peas @ .25
1 package buckwheat @ .25
2 pounds butter @ .80
Soda crackers @ .25
2 packages graham crackers @ .25
3 1/2 pounds lard @ .60
2 1/8 pounds cheese @ .51

Mrs. Morrison bought:
1 knife @ .50
1 knife @ .25
suspenders @ .25
soap @ .15

[Matt]

Ok... it's interesting that there is fresh fruit available at this time in the northern winter. I had no idea the global produce infrastructure was up to snuff that that time, unless the itemization of those items left out that they are dried bananas or grapes (but wouldn't that mean raisins?)

[Kelly]

I had the very same thoughts....grapes and berries this time of year? Really? If the berries were canned....or otherwise un-fresh, they certainly wouldn't be listed in terms of quarts.

I know for certain that this store was in the town of Lee.....but what state.....I'm just using circumstantial evidence to make the Massachusetts call. There will be a sled purchased in the next couple of days....so we assume there must be snow....

I think I may have looked up some of these names once and it also led me to the state of Mass.

[Kelly]

Victorian images/paintings/drawings often show fresh fruit and nuts around the holidays and an orange in the toe of a stocking, I think is very Victorian. So, yeah, it was possible, but most likely only for those who could afford it.

Giving it some more thought.....they did have refrigerated rail cars by 1913, so the fresh fruit was not that outrageous....though I suppose more of it was stocked around the holidays than any other time of year.

[Kelly]

December 23, 1913

Mrs. Mane bought:
1 pair W.J. corsets - no price given - notation says "left"
10 oranges @ .30
hose @ .75
1 pound candy @ .10

P.H. Keenan bought:
2 pounds lard @ .32
2 pounds confectioners sugar @ .16
2 packs mince meat @ .20
1 package raisins @ .12
1 quart molasses @ .13

H. Kahlam bought:
1 pair of mittens @ .25

W. McCormick bought:
4 yards baby ribbon @ .08
1 yard ribbon @ .02

Floyd Demanche bought:
1 dozen oranges @ .50
2 pounds grapes @ .40
2 pounds mixed nuts @ .50
1 dozen bananas @ .25
1 basket @ .10
2 pounds candy @ .25