In June, the Pomeroy Foundation was thrilled to officially launched Hungry for History, the first-ever historic roadside marker program dedicated to preserving the stories of regional food specialties across the United States. With this announcement, we wanted to answer this questions for State Partners: What does this mean for Legends & Lore?
Those who wish to commemorate certain local and regional food specialties should instead apply for a Hungry for History marker. Iconic dishes such as West Virginia’s Pepperoni Roll and Carlisle, PA’s Hot-Chee Dog – both which have their own Legends & Lore marker – are examples of foods that would now qualify under Hungry for History.
To qualify for the Hungry for History grant program, the regional food specialty must meet the following criteria:
- Must be a prepared, ready-to-eat dish, such as an entrée or dessert
- Must contain a minimum of 2 ingredients
- Dish must be created prior to 1960
- Dish must be historically significant to the greater community or beyond
- Dish (or variation of dish) must have origins in the local or regional community
- Dish is still available/eaten today or in some form
- No brand names allowed (e.g. Hershey’s, Kraft, etc.)
In addition to the criteria, prospective applicants should also keep in mind that unlike Legends & Lore, Hungry for History requires an online Letter of Intent (LOI) and primary source documentation – such as an old newspaper article or menu – that proves the food’s authenticity and significance to the region.
The LOI for this first round is due August 9. The LOI is a short form which asks for the proposed inscription and a list of the primary source documents to be provided later in the application.
With this brand-new food history program available nationwide, we encourage you to direct any prospective applicants wanting to focus on a prepared dish to first review if their idea qualifies under Hungry for History. Dishes which qualify for Hungry for History will no longer be considered under the Legends & Lore grant program. Please know we are here to assist along with the Foundation’s professional historians on staff.
For an example, check out the very first Hungry for History marker which commemorates salt potatoes, Central New York’s favorite summertime side dish.
For complete program guidelines, visit our Hungry for History webpage.