“The great Central Valley of California, watered by streams from the snow-capped Sierras, is the home of the raisin. Here, the same sun which calls from the vines their luscious fruit, kisses sweetness into the grapes, turns their juice into nectar, and finally transforms them into raisins.” — from a Raisin Day Booster Postcard, 1909.
Directly in the middle of the vast Central Valley is the San Joaquin Valley, a viticultural wonderland for growing and the production of raisins, or dried grapes. Today, on almost 100,000 acres in an area within a 60-mile radius of Fresno, raisin growers produce 100% of the U.S. raisins. Our postcard story is set here in Fresno — a major city and economic hub in the San Joaquin Valley, the largest city in the greater Central Valley, and “The Raisin Capital of the World.” Many of the following accounts of our postcard storytellers are borrowed from the 1891 published jewel, California Homes & Industries. Fresno Illustrated.
On The Road To Raisin, Calif., 1915
Isn’t this the greatest postcard to introduce a historical raisin story? Auburn Post Card Co. in Indiana distributed sample mailers advertising their series of “Automobile Local Pennant Cards” drawn by cartoon artist “Witt” (30c for 50 cards). How fantastic to find one for Raisin, named in 1907 after the district’s major economic endeavor. A small neighborhood about 13 miles south of downtown Fresno, today’s Raisin City sets an example of a growing small agricultural community.
Muscat Raisin Grape, Fresno. On The Road Of A Thousand Wonders, c1910
In 1873, Swedish-born Francis Eisen (1826–1895) planted the first grapevines in Fresno Co. — an experimental 25-acre Muscat vineyard on his recently purchased 640 acres of barren land along Fancher Creek, just east of Fresno. The railroad had arrived the previous year; the only structure around was the depot. Muscat of Alexandria, a grape known in ancient viticulture, was the first raisin variety introduced into California, and dominated the scene for forty years until early 1920. By 1925, Thompson Seedless had reversed the numbers, 80% Thompson Seedless to 15% Muscat of Alexandria. Other early Central Valley raisin grape varieties featured on treasured postcards are Malaga, Flame Tokay (or Tokay), Sultana, Thompson Seedless.
Picking And Drying Raisins, Fresno, 1909
A beautiful, hand-colored postcard from early in the new century preserves the busy harvest scene. Our 1891 first-hand account tells us, “When the early September days pour a torrid heat upon the plains, the rich clusters put on a golden tint, the royal amber of full ripeness. Sun and water and warmth can do no more; the vintage time has come. Carefully cut from the vine, the grapes are laid upon small platforms made of sugar pine and raised from the ground by one-inch cleats. They are three feet long and two feet wide, capable of holding from twenty to twenty-five pounds of grapes. They are placed on the open spaces between the vine rows and left to the action of the sun and air. In nine days after picking the raisins are sufficiently dry on the upper side to be turned over by placing an empty platform upon a filled tray, and reversing quickly. In five or six days, the raisins are sufficiently cured to be removed from the platforms … the only really delicate part of the whole business, requiring much judgment.”
Hauling 14 Tons Of Raisins, Fresno. On The Road Of A Thousand Wonders, 1911
The sender writes on the back of this impressive picture postcard, “I have seen lots of teams hauling Raisins & Grapes.” Our 1891 “prominent raisin producer” continues his narrative: “A raisin vineyard will begin to bear profitably at three years old; but the fourth and fifth years are very satisfactory, ranging from four to seven tons per acre. It takes three tons of grapes to make one of raisins, and a ton of good raisins, boxed and ready for market, is worth from $150 to $210. The expense of caring for a vineyard up to the picking time is not great.”
Pruning A Raisin Vineyard, Fresno County, c1909
Pruning the vines is a vital vineyard chore, but a scene hardly ever seen on a postcard (planting vines is another rare one). “One man will cultivate and care for a twenty-acre vineyard, except at pruning time, when he will need a few days’ help. The grapes best adapted to raisin making are the Muscat of Alexandria, Seedless Sultana [Thompson Seedless] and Malaga. The vines are usually planted ten feet apart, in rows twelve feet apart, and are pruned to the stock every year, giving the vineyard the appearance in winter of a field of crooked little stumps.”
Types Of Dried Grapes
So, just for fun. What’s a raisin? A sultana? Or, a currant? Like those labeled in the market? Answer. They are all different types of dried grapes. But raisins are dark in color, have a soft texture, a sweet flavor, and are typically larger than sultanas and currants. Size, taste, and color depend on the type of grape used. In California, raisins are typically made from Thompson Seedless. And, “raisin” is applied to both raisins and sultanas. To distinguish the two, sultanas are referred to as “golden” raisins, also made from Thompson Seedless, but using a different process. Sultanas are typically smaller than raisins and are sweeter, juicier, and lighter in color than both raisins and currants. Raisin currants are not grown on a gooseberry bush, but on a grape vine that grows a small seedless grape, Black Corinth. Due to their small size, they have a sweet, tangy, and intense flavor and add texture and sweetness to both sweet and savory dishes.
Buster Brown. A Souvenir Of Fresno, Sun-Kissed Land O’ Raisins, c1909
In my opinion, this Buster Brown raisin booster postcard by R.F. Outcault is one of the outstanding best! It is also very rare and collectible, so is doubly appreciated and treasured. Hoisting a giant bunch of raisin grapes, Buster Brown, his dog Tige, and girlfriend Mary Jane have “Resolved that we will eat raisins and preach raisins and boost for those who are raisin’ raisins,” with the Sincerest Good Wishes of R. F. Outcault. Fun Fact: Richard Outcault (1863–1928), who created the comic-strip character Buster Brown in 1902, is considered a key pioneer of the modern comic strip. The clever artist traveled to the 1904 St. Louis World’s Fair and sold licenses to some 200 companies to use the Buster Brown characters to advertise their products. Buster Brown’s association with shoes began with John Bush, a sales executive with the Brown Shoe Co. He persuaded his company to purchase rights to the Buster Brown name, and the brand, including Mary Jane shoes, all introduced to the public at the 1904 World’s Fair.
Stemming And Packing Raisins In California, Fresno Co., c1900
Our honorable 1891 host continues his informative tour: “A local large vineyard packing house is 32 x 110 feet, a well-built two-story structure. Anyone visiting one of these establishments would be surprised at the busy scenes presented. There are hundreds of men and women at work packing raisins. The raisins are brought to the packing house in sweat-boxes, and after passing through the sweat are stemmed by machinery and packed according to the grade. They ship from three to six carloads of raisins per day. A car contains 1,000 boxes, so that the daily shipment is not far from 5,000 boxes, and the total output of this packing house alone this season will amount to about 250,000 boxes.”
California Raisin Day, April 30th, 1909
A stunning poster postcard advertising the premiere Fresno Raisin Day Festival in 1909. A snappy little poem celebrates the theme: “A Grape full of Nectar, Simmered in our Summer Sun, Add the Sparkle and Sugar, Then our Raisin’s done.” I love the exuberant visitor’s message written on the back of this card, “April 30 Fresno. Today celebrated Raisin Day, parade, bands, city decorations. The Sun Maid raisin rules supreme here.” I have not found how many years the annual festival was held. But it was many years later, in 1963, that nearby Selma declared itself the Raisin Capital and staged a yearly festival, still going on today
Fresno Raisins. Sun Dried California Raisins. Booster Brand, 1911
Such a deliciously enticing box of raisins! “Fresno Co. has the requisites … the days are bright and warm, the nights free from fog or dew … shrinkage is but trifling … and the result is a large and luscious raisin, the high percentage of saccharine makes the raisin rich and strong.” [1891] This grand “novelty” card is from the San Francisco postcard publishing house of Edward Mitchell who enjoyed such clever productions. The top right and bottom left corners have been trimmed to give the 3-D effect. The sumptuous raisin box is very early and pre-dates the Sun-Maid brand.
Sun-Maid Raisin Assn. Largest Raisin Packing Plant In The World, Fresno, c1920
The letters SUN-MAID RAISINS circle the company rooftop tower, surely the most recognized brand of raisins in the world. In 1894, William R. Nutting (1850-1922) — one of the foremost figures in the history of raisins in the San Joaquin Valley, who was instrumental in developing the Thompson Seedless raisin and the raisin card-box —founded the American Vineyard Co. to commercialize the Thompson Seedless raisin grape. His son purchased control of the company in 1911 and later changed the name to American Seedless Raisin Co. in 1917. William R. went on to found the California Associated Raisin Growers, which eventually became the Sun-Maid Corporation, an American farmer-owned cooperative of raisin growers, and one of the largest raisin processors in the world. As a farmers’ cooperative, Sun-Maid is privately owned by hundreds of grower families who farm thousands of acres of raisin grapes in central California, producing more than 200 million pounds annually. Nearly half of all Sun-Maid raisins are packed for consumer sales, whether in a box, a bag, or a canister in varying sizes. In 2012, Sun-Maid celebrated its 100th anniversary as a grower cooperative. We all know the red box featuring the Sun-Maid Girl wearing a red sunbonnet, holding a tray of fresh grapes.
The Sun-Maid Girl, 1970
The dazzling Sun-Maid Girl is a good story. It was an exciting day when this c1970 postcard was found and told me the tale. The original “Sun-Maid Girl” was a real person named Lorraine Collett. It seems one of the cooperative executives noticed her as she worked as a part-time seeder and packer, and hired her to be the model for a new corporate trademark, the Sun-Maid Girl, just in time for the 1915 Panama-Pacific Exposition in San Francisco. She and several other young Sun-Maid girls promoted California raisins by handing out samples to visitors at the Expo while wearing white blouses and bright sunbonnets. The postcard shows how the image was modified over the years until the 1970 packaging, which continues into the 21st century.
Drying Trays Stacked For Winter, c1906
Have you ever wondered what a raisin grower does with all of those hundreds and hundreds of harvesting trays between the vintages? If you look closely at this early, very favorite raisin postcard, the most amazing feat will tease your eyes and tickle your fancy! W.R. Nutting, the founder of American Vineyard Co. whom we met earlier in our story, issued a set of eight similar advertising postcards, each with the “Not-A-Seed” logo in bright red alongside a large view of one of the necessary raisin vineyard activities during the year — Pruning…, Picking…, Vines Loaded…, Sun Curing…, &c. The stacked drying trays are a phenomenal, beautiful work of art.
The California Raisins. “I Heard It Through The Grapevine,” 1986-1991
In 1986 “The California Raisins” made their debut appearance on American TV and became an instantaneous sensation. Created by the California Raisin Advisory Board to make raisins a cool thing to eat and increase raisin consumption, this hugely popular fictional R&B musical group was composed of anthropomorphized dancing raisins that boogied to the catchy song, “I Heard It Through the Grapevine.” It is noted that musician Buddy Miles sang the lead vocals. The eight postcards gathered in the collection were produced in 1987 and only lately acquired when I noted that they are a part of California grape history. A recently reported raisin crop reached 110,853 tons at an average price of $1,302 per ton, Thompson Seedless vines dominate the raisin vineyards, while Sun-Maid ships to customers throughout the U.S. and more than sixty countries around the world. Cheers!,
