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Salt potatoes honored by nation’s first Hungry for History™ food-themed historic marker

Public invited to celebrate occasion during Hungry for History launch party at Willow Rock

SYRACUSE, N.Y. – Salt potatoes, served up as a tasty staple at Central New York barbecues and bars for generations, will soon be immortalized with its very own historic marker obtained by the Onondaga Historical Association through a grant from the William G. Pomeroy Foundation.

The historic marker commemorating salt potatoes is the first to be funded through Hungry for History™, a brand-new marker grant program created by the Syracuse-based Pomeroy Foundation to help communities across the United States put the spotlight on their local and regional foods. OHA is the first organization in the country to be awarded a Hungry for History marker.

Details about the salt potatoes marker dedication ceremony will be revealed during a launch party for the Hungry for History program, co-hosted by the Pomeroy Foundation and OHA, at Willow Rock Brewing Company in Syracuse on Thursday, June 24 from 4:00 to 6:00 p.m. The Hungry for History launch party is free to attend and open to the public. Those interested in attending the launch party are asked to register online via the link on the homepage of the OHA website: https://www.cnyhistory.org/. The first 20 people to register for the event will be provided one free drink ticket. Salt potatoes will be provided by Who Want Smoke BBQ and Catering.

Launch party attendees can enter a drawing for a guest spot unveiling the salt potatoes historic marker at the dedication ceremony which will take place beginning at 11 a.m. on Saturday, July 10. The location for the first Hungry for History marker and dedication ceremony will be announced at the Willow Rock event at 5:00 p.m.

“We are delighted that this iconic Syracuse dish will kick off Hungry for History as the program’s first historic marker nationwide,” said Deryn Pomeroy, Director of Strategic Initiatives at the Pomeroy Foundation. “Salt potatoes are a fixture in our community and we are excited to celebrate this hometown pride by preserving their story for generations to come.”

“Much like family heirlooms, papers, and photographs, food connects us to our history and place. We pass our stories and our culture to the next generation along with our recipes,” said OHA Executive Director Gregg Tripoli. “Salt potatoes will always be a staple of family gatherings in Central New York. We are thrilled to partner with the Pomeroy Foundation to celebrate and memorialize their origin.”

The Hungry for History launch party at Willow Rock includes a friendly game of Syracuse food themed trivia with prizes and attendees will have a sneak peek of the salt potatoes marker before it’s installed.

The Hungry for History Marker Grant Program begins accepting applications on Monday, June 14. Grants are available to 501(c)(3) organizations, nonprofit academic institutions, and local, state and federal government entities within the United States. Visit the Pomeroy Foundation’s Hungry for History webpage to learn more about program guidelines, eligibility and how to apply online: https://www.wgpfoundation.org/history/hungry-for-history/

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About the Onondaga Historical Association
The Onondaga Historical Association (OHA), incorporated in 1863, is a private non-profit educational association of heritage-related services, museums, community-based exhibits, images and signage; as well as research and educational centers and retail operations. The comprehensive history museum is located at 321 Montgomery Street in Syracuse. OHA also operates the Skä-noñh: Great Law of Peace Center on Onondaga Lake Parkway in Liverpool.

About the William G. Pomeroy Foundation
The William G. Pomeroy Foundation is committed to supporting the celebration and preservation of community history; and to raising awareness, supporting research and improving the quality of care for patients and their families who are facing a blood cancer diagnosis. One of its initiatives is helping people to celebrate their community’s history. The Pomeroy Foundation meets this part of its mission by providing grants to obtain signage in the form of historic roadside markers and plaques. Since 2006, they have funded over 1,400 markers and plaques across the United States, all the way to Alaska. Visit: wgpfoundation.org

Media Inquires

Steve Bodnar
Communications Consultant
William G. Pomeroy Foundation
315-913-4060