Americana 1900- The Complete Presentation

[James G.]

The next business is Gurnock's Bakery, which will be discussed in the “Dining in Maple Grove” section later in this presentation.

Robert Niles, Printer

​

Robert Niles, whose family moved to Maple Grove from Indianapolis, Indiana in 1847, has his printing business in a solid, two-story frame building with a faux-limestone facade and an elaborate pressed-tin cornice and ornamental flat columns on each corner. This operating craft shop demonstrates both early hand-pressed printing methods and the more “modern” steam-powered systems of 1900. Many of the menus used in the Harvey House Restaurants are printed here, as are posters, newsletters, decorative prints and maps, and other items available for purchase in the Elliott and Sons’ General Store. Guests can place special orders here for such personalized items as stationery, Christmas cards, commemorative newsletters for businesses, and wedding invitations (as part of the Americana Wedding Service).​

Miss Emma’s Sweet Shop

​

Poor Miss Emma...orphaned at the tender age of seventeen, left with nothing but a small inheritance from her widowed mother’s estate and this simple frame house. She soon realized that she was going to have to fend for herself with what she had to work with. Her mother had left her with just two other, more simple things...a sweet tooth, and a recipe box of how to make the most remarkably delicious candies to be found anywhere in this part of Alabama. Emma set up shop in her front parlor and dining room, turned her kitchen into a one-person candy factory, and soon had people from all over Alabama finding their way to Maple Grove to watch her create her hand-crafted all-day lollipops, rock candy sticks, licorice ropes and horehound drops. Miss Emma’s success would have made her mother proud.​

​

Miss Emma’s Sweet Shop continues that delicious tradition of offering the finest candies to be found anywhere in this part of the South, and has even expanded their specialties to include the finest maple syrup and maple sugar candies available this side of New England. Hand-made candies dominate the display cases and glass candy jars at Miss Emma’s. Hand-dipped Buckeyes (peanut butter balls partially dipped in chocolate, in homage to her ancestors who moved to Maple Grove from Ohio before the war), many flavors of fudge, including her personal favorite flavor, Million Dollar Fudge filled with chocolate chips and marshmallows, hand-pulled taffy and chocolate-covered cherries are just a small sample of the candies that hungry visitors can watch being made and that are available for purchase. Also available is a remarkable collection of hard-to-find brand-name candies and sweet treats such as Circus Peanuts, Goo Goo Clusters, Whoopie Pies and Animal Crackers. ​

​

Town gossip says that Miss Emma’s has become so popular that a dentist from Mobile is considering moving his dental practice to an empty office above the print shop next door. It must be true what they say about “location, location, location!” ​

 

[James G.]

The Village Green
​

In the center of the Village Green, surrounded by tall shade trees and rows of comfortable wooden benches with cast iron frames stands the Village Bandstand. Constructed of wood, with lattice ornamentation and a simple octagonal cupola atop its roof, the Bandstand is the site of twice-daily concerts by the Americana Brass Band. Other musical groups such as bluegrass bands, male and female barbershop quartets and even historic reenactors bringing famous people from the past back to life perform on this stage for the entertainment, amusement and- perhaps accidentally- the education of guests to Maple Grove. Check the schedule of entertainment available at all park entrances, and at the entertainment schedule signs at all entrances to the Village Green.​

Clinton School and Playground

​

Located on the corner of Maple Grove East and Pike Road, just on the edge of town, is the Clinton School, a frame one-room schoolhouse sitting in the middle of a schoolyard. Children of all ages are invited to explore the school, sit at the wooden desks, draw on the black slate blackboard with real chalk, and play outside on the swings, slides and in the sandbox. Children must be accompanied by an adult, and several “schoolmarms” are on hand to “keep discipline”- but not too much. The purpose of the Clinton School is to let children be children and play, and if they should happen to learn what school was like for their great-grandparents, well, don’t let them know they are learning anything. “Edutainment” is one of the cornerstones of Americana 1900’s mission statement.​

 

[MickeyWaffleCo.]

It still has a long way to go, especially in the graphic portion, and I'm still on my 44th proofreading and rewrite of the text

@James G. I’m curious - how many more proofreadings did you go through between this post and now?

 

[James G.]

@James G. I’m curious - how many more proofreadings did you go through between this post and now?

OK, I exaggerate a bit, and no, I didn't actually count (I'm not quite that -retentive, even though I rarely sit down for fear of sucking up the chair ). I have literally been researching and writing this presentation since, I believe, June, and after writing a section I would often go back to an earlier section and reread it, looking for errors, poor writing, etc., and Grammarly has become one of my best friends! I almost always read each section out loud- it's amazing how different something sounds compared to how it reads. I found so many things that I didn't like after hearing them, and that I "fixed". I'm also a bit insecure about my work, especially after yesterday's snafu with the key to the maps. I absolutely HATE it when that happens. I always do a final proofreading before I hit that infamous "Post reply" button in the bottom left corner, and even after I post it I often reread it one more time...and find things that I wish I had done differently.

 

[MickeyWaffleCo.]

OK, I exaggerate a bit, and no, I didn't actually count (I'm not quite that ****-retentive, even though I rarely sit down for fear of sucking up the chair ). I have literally been researching and writing this presentation since, I believe, June, and after writing a section I would often go back to an earlier section and reread it, looking for errors, poor writing, etc., and Grammarly has become one of my best friends! I almost always read each section out loud- it's amazing how different something sounds compared to how it reads. I found so many things that I didn't like after hearing them, and that I "fixed". I'm also a bit insecure about my work, especially after yesterday's snafu with the key to the maps. I absolutely HATE it when that happens. I always do a final proofreading before I hit that infamous "Post reply" button in the bottom left corner, and even after I post it I often reread it one more time...and find things that I wish I had done differently.

Gotcha. I couldn’t tell if it was sarcastic enough because this whole thing is so detailed! You’ve only been writing it since June? Wow!

 

[James G.]

Gotcha. I couldn’t tell if it was sarcastic enough because this whole thing is so detailed! You’ve only been writing it since June? Wow!

There was about a 6 week spell last summer where I blew out my L4-L5 disc and I had nothing to do but sit (couldn't lay down because it pinched all the nerves going into my left leg, which turned the pain up to 11). I had little to do except to do research and write. Yea, I got the sarcasm , and I do hope that I'm keeping this light enough while still sharing some interesting (IMHO) information. Wait until tomorrow- you'll learn all about the first fast-food chain in America, and no- it's not McDonald's!

 

[The Great Gonzo]

Location​

A book will be written someday telling the story of how Americana 1900 came to exist. Until then, accept the premise that a man with a vision and another man with the financial means came together and brought that vision into reality on a plot of land a short, pleasant drive north of Birmingham, Alabama. The Americana Land Company acquired 47,914 acres of forest, farmland, gently rolling pasture and even a few small towns and began the most massive privately-funded development project in Alabama history- the construction of one of the largest theme park complexes ever created in the nation. The site was chosen because of its direct access from Interstate 65 and its location within easy driving distance from several major metropolitan areas in the American Southeast, as well as the region’s temperate climate that would allow the park to remain open, at least partially, the entire year.​

General Theme​

Americana 1900, “America’s Grand New Theme Park,” is a place where the challenges and excitement of our nation’s historic past meet the entertainment demands and capabilities of today and tomorrow. It is a highly-themed amusement park that fuses modern technology with the charm, sophistication and fun of what is romantically remembered as our nation’s most elegant era- the “Gilded Age”. Eight themed Townships transport guests back to that bygone era when automobiles were the latest fad, when most of America was rural, most Americans lived on farms and when the Industrial Revolution was just starting to make our great-grandparents’ lives a little bit easier.​

​

Americana 1900 is not a dry, boring history lesson, but a place of fun, excitement and visual beauty, and is designed for families to explore and experience together. The historic era it emphasizes is from the late 1800s through the early decades of the 1900s, with some artistic license allowed to maximize visitor enjoyment and safety. The Townships are not intended to be historically accurate recreations of the era- nobody wants to return to the age of preventable infectious diseases, racial and social inequality, and unpaved roads. Perhaps Americana 1900 should be viewed as a physical remembrance of a nation as we would like it to have been, the way we would like to remember it, the way we would like to imagine it once was. An idealized nation. A “perfect society.” Sanitized? Yes, but why not? Americana 1900 is a place to enjoy the best of the past, with all the benefits of the present.

The rides and attractions at Americana 1900 are all inspired by those that entertained our forefathers a century ago. Some are careful restorations or authentic reproductions, while others are modern adaptations that take their themes and inspiration from earlier entertainments. The architectural styles and designs, the floral gardens and fields of corn and wheat, even the wardrobe of the park employees, the “Townsfolk” of Americana 1900, would all be familiar to our forefathers of 1900. Elegance, quality and good taste never go out of style.​

Americana 1900 consists of the main entrance plaza and eight Townships, each of which is a chapter in the story of America, a story that explains how America of today was built on the foundations laid by our forefathers.

​

Note: In some places, the appearance of an attraction or structure on this map might vary from its description in the presentation. There were several instances when research discovered or decisions made after the completion of the map caused these discrepancies. These alterations are minor and should not seriously impact the presentation.

Each Township has a backstory included in its presentation. Some of these stories are brief, while others are- I’ll be honest here- quite long. Some of these backstories come directly from one of the five novels I have written- so far- in what I am calling the Americana Chronicles. It was my intention to use these backstories to demonstrate that, while each Township and its theme is unique to that Township, it also relates to its neighboring Townships and demonstrates that the history of America didn’t occur in an isolated vacuum, but was part of and influenced by the events and accomplishments of the entire nation and world. In Americana 1900, as in America, the whole is greater than the sum of its parts.​

Maple Grove, the main entrance to the park, is where the simple, rustic homes and shops of a small farming community provide guest services, shopping and dining opportunities, and transportation to the rest of the park. The Gulf Coast & Santa Fe Railroad has a station here, providing easy access to the other Townships in Americana 1900. Also found here are several operating craft shops where skilled men and women produce goods for use in Americana 1900 and for purchase here and at several other shops throughout the park.​

Morrison Farm is a working farm with animals to be petted, crops growing in the fields, and thrilling rides themed appropriately to the rural feeling of this exciting Township. However, Morrison Farm is more than just a large petting zoo and playground. As a working farm, it is a major component of the mission statement of Americana 1900. It demonstrates agricultural techniques of the past, techniques being rediscovered by modern society and agriculture as so many people try to eat and live healthy, organic and eco-friendly lives.​

Holy this is aaaamazing! It's like Disneyland, but it goes beyond just main street usa and the whole entire park looks at different aspects of early America. You are an artist.

 

[Solaris Knight]

I can tell that like Disneysky, this thread will be one I follow every day and read all over every couple of months, I’ve been waiting for it since then too!

The park this reminds me of in the real world is certainly Dollywood, with the focus on realistic areas and crafts, but with a blue sky ballooning of scope.

 

[ThemeParkPriest]

Doing Something for its Own Sake​

The saying goes something like, “If something is worth doing, it’s worth doing for its own sake.” This is true even if nobody ever sees it. J.R.R. Tolkein wrote The Lord of the Rings for his own children and now it’s one of the top book series of all-time. Walt Disney wanted to create something that he and his daughters could enjoy together. We all know that that idea led to the creation of Disneyland and revolutionized the idea of “theme parks” forever. The class I took last summer was on the goodness of a liberal arts education–a curriculum that is learned for its own sake regardless of whether it is used in a job. @James G. with Americana 1900 and @D Hulk with DisneySky have given us projects that hopefully one day will be built but even if they are not, they inspire imaginations to dream big!

Behind every great project is a visionary. Others can play an influential role in the team, but it’s ultimately the visionary who has to lead the team. Walt Disney had his team, including his brother Roy (who held the pocketbook) and the original Imagineers. The Americana 1900 team of James, Hulk, and @Knight2000 seem to really compliment each other with their skills to make an even better project than if James had tried to do it all on his own!

I’ll speak for myself here, but these projects inspire me to keep working on my own project (Bible World) and “plussing” my own ideas. Certainly there are different constraints, so mine might have to take a 5-year cycle itself (especially as I look ahead to the next half year). But that’s alright! The best things in life take time.

I am still catching-up on the project (I’ve read the first 3 days worth), but I wanted to post this before I continue reading. I plan to write an expanded version of this post for my Bible World thread and my blog.

 

[James G.]

Doing Something for its Own Sake​

The saying goes something like, “If something is worth doing, it’s worth doing for its own sake.” This is true even if nobody ever sees it. J.R.R. Tolkein wrote The Lord of the Rings for his own children and now it’s one of the top book series of all-time. Walt Disney wanted to create something that he and his daughters could enjoy together. We all know that that idea led to the creation of Disneyland and revolutionized the idea of “theme parks” forever. The class I took last summer was on the goodness of a liberal arts education–a curriculum that is learned for its own sake regardless of whether it is used in a job. @James G. with Americana 1900 and @D Hulk with DisneySky have given us projects that hopefully one day will be built but even if they are not, they inspire imaginations to dream big!

Behind every great project is a visionary. Others can play an influential role in the team, but it’s ultimately the visionary who has to lead the team. Walt Disney had his team, including his brother Roy (who held the pocketbook) and the original Imagineers. The Americana 1900 team of James, Hulk, and @Knight2000 seem to really compliment each other with their skills to make an even better project than if James had tried to do it all on his own!

I’ll speak for myself here, but these projects inspire me to keep working on my own project (Bible World) and “plussing” my own ideas. Certainly there are different constraints, so mine might have to take a 5-year cycle itself (especially as I look ahead to the next half year). But that’s alright! The best things in life take time.

I am still catching-up on the project (I’ve read the first 3 days worth), but I wanted to post this before I continue reading. I plan to write an expanded version of this post for my Bible World thread and my blog.

I needed some time to process what you wrote. Your words are both wise and kind, and I'm honored to be mentioned in them. I hope that, when we reach the end of my Americana 1900 presentation, you still feel the way you do at this time. Saying that my work and @D Hulk 's amazing DisneySky has inspired you to keep working on your own epic is an honor itself. Thank you, and I'm looking someday to discovering Bible World. I'm sure it will be magnificent!

 

[spacemt354]

I needed some time to process what you wrote. Your words are both wise and kind, and I'm honored to be mentioned in them. I hope that, when we reach the end of my Americana 1900 presentation, you still feel the way you do at this time. Saying that my work and @D Hulk 's amazing DisneySky has inspired you to keep working on your own epic is an honor itself. Thank you, and I'm looking someday to discovering Bible World. I'm sure it will be magnificent!

It's been a work in progress over the last year but @ThemeParkPriest 's Bible World is really original!

Bible World [ASSUMPTION ORBITER]

In a World...where Disney parks have been transformed...shall I say, heavenwards! 😇 What if a theme park (like a Disney one) had immersive rides that told the stories from the Bible? Or what if different aspects of history, cultures, and professional fields were told through the lens of...

forums.wdwmagic.com

 

[Evilgidgit]

Can we just get DisneySky, Americana 1900, and Bible World pinned to the top of the forum?

 

[James G.]

Can we just get DisneySky, Americana 1900, and Bible World pinned to the top of the forum?

I'm really flattered, but you've only seen a week's worth of Americana 1900! There is a lot more for me to share with you all. DisneySky is certainly worthy of all the accolades it's received, and more, and from what I've heard of Bible World it certainly sounds Heavenly!

 

[DisneyManOne]

I honestly had to look up and see if "Americana Wedding Service" was a legitimate business, outside the realm of Americana 1900. That's how convincing your writing is! And frankly, I'm sure there is something like it somewhere.

 

[James G.]

I honestly had to look up and see if "Americana Wedding Service" was a legitimate business, outside the realm of Americana 1900. That's how convincing your writing is! And frankly, I'm sure there is something like it somewhere.

I was torn between putting a laugh or a like on your post- I really appreciate your kind words about my writing, but I now am worried about being sued for copyright infringement! I never thought to check for that. I tend to get so buried into my work that sometimes I wonder if the border between reality and fantasy is getting a bit blurred in my mind. I guess that, if I had to get lost in a fantasy world, there are worse places than Americana 1900.

 

[James G.]

​

The year was 1878. Railroads were “King” in America, carrying millions of riders across the nation. Fred Harvey, a freight agent for the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy Railroad observed a problem that many travelers were having. At that time- before passenger trains had dining cars- when a train stopped at a station to pick up and drop off passengers and freight, they often only waited an hour before leaving. Hungry riders had to leave the station, find a restaurant, order, get served, eat their meal and get back on the train before it left. Many passengers missed their trains, and Fred Harvey saw an opportunity. He developed the idea of a restaurant serving quick meals right in the train station and promoted his idea to his employer- but they turned him down. He then offered it to the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railroad, and they decided to give it a try. Fred Harvey opened his first restaurant at the AT&SF station in Florence, Kansas.
​

And thus was born the first restaurant chain in America, the Harvey House Restaurants.​

Soon Harvey House Restaurants and Hotels were found all along the rail lines of the AT&SF Railroad and its affiliated rail lines. It was said that a traveler could not travel one hundred miles without finding a Harvey House to eat in. They became famous for high-quality food at reasonable prices with fast service, generous helpings and clean, attractive facilities. The servers, all female and called Harvey Girls, wore identical uniforms and were held to the strictest standards of behavior, deportment, morality and professionalism. Every Harvey Girl was required to wear the prescribed Harvey Girl uniform. It was black and white, carefully starched, and designed to "diminish the female physique". It included a skirt that hung no more than 8 inches off the floor, an "Elise" collar and opaque black stockings and black shoes. The hair was restrained in a net and was tied with a "regulation" white ribbon. Make-up was not allowed and chewing gum was forbidden.​

​

Times change, but The Harvey House Restaurant tradition lives on at Americana 1900 at the three train stations serving the Gulf Coast and Santa Fe Railroad (a subsidiary of the AT&SF): one at the train station located in Maple Grove, one at the station that jointly serves Courthouse Square and Green Springs, and one on The Pike. Just as each station is unique, each full-service Harvey House Restaurant has a physical design to compliment the Township where it stands, and a menu that, while sharing some of the more popular items, also has "blue plate specials" that are unique to the Township where it is located.

What is a "blue plate special"? It is a special low-priced meal of the day, traditionally a "meat and three (one meat and three sides with no substitutions allowed)" served on a single blue plate, often with dividers on the plate. ​

This concept was created by Fred Harvey for his restaurants possibly as early as 1892, and was soon adopted by other restaurants and diners across the country. Many traditional diners and mom-and-pop restaurants still offer a blue plate special to this day.

The history lesson is over- now it’s time to eat!​

The menu at each of the Harvey House Restaurants in Americana offers many items in common, foods that have been popular with American diners for generations. Nearly every item featured on their menus can be traced directly to a similar item served at a Harvey House Restaurant somewhere in America. The standard lunch and dinner menu is the same in all three Harvey Houses, with the same prices and same regular menu offerings for lunch and dinner. Each location also has daily specials, or “Features” as they are listed on the menu. The "Blue Plate Special" menu insert is specific to the Township where the restaurant is located, and often changes daily. This insert is printed in the Robert Niles Print Shop in Maple Grove and can be kept as a souvenir by guests. Every item on the menu- breakfast, lunch and dinner- has been served at a Harvey House Restaurant somewhere in the nation over the past century and a half of its existence. Granted, tastes have changed, and once-popular entrees such as braised calf sweetbread on toast and buttered spaghetti with chicken giblets no longer appear on Harvey House menus, but even the most finicky eater will find something to satisfy their hunger on every Harvey House menu in Americana 1900.​

The standard lunch and dinner menu at all three Harvey House restaurants is the same. Guests can choose from such popular entrees as:

Note: This is not a complete list, but just a sample of the variety and good old-fashioned meals available.
​

Meals at every Harvey House Restaurant in Americana 1900 are served on tables set with Irish linen tablecloths, just like Fred Harvey demanded. China plates, solid cutlery and cloth napkins are used, and all tables are waited on by a Harvey Girl wearing the traditional Harvey Girl uniform. Every attempt is made to recreate the feeling of dining in an original Harvey House Restaurant, where the food was always good and plentiful, the service was exceptional, and the pleasant dining experience of the guest was the most important thing.​

The Harvey House Restaurant in Maple Grove

​

One of three Harvey Houses Restaurants in Americana 1900, this location is open for lunch and dinner, and is the only Harvey House Restaurant also open for breakfast. The Maple Grove Harvey House is designed as a fairly simple restaurant, furnished with plain, solid but tasteful furniture and decor reminding diners more of a family dining room in 1900 than a fancy restaurant. The floor is hardwood, spotlessly clean and buffed to a beautiful shine, and the ornamentation of the room is limited to some key-wound clocks showing the time in various cities across the nation, a few railroad prints and posters advertising cities served by the AT&SF Railroad, and perhaps a potted plant or two. Light pours into the room through wide windows of leaded glass adorned with sheer, lacy curtains, and is augmented by simple lighting globes hanging between the ornamented ceiling rafters. Overhead fans turn lazily, keeping the diners comfortable even on the hottest Alabama day. The woodwork, stained dark and carefully polished, shows the Arts and Crafts Style of wood ornamentation popular in this era.​

 

[James G.]

Breakfast at the Harvey House in Maple Grove

Examples of some of the Breakfast Entree items available at the Maple Grove Harvey House are:

​

There is also an extensive selection of ala carte items such as juices (orange, grapefruit, apple, tomato and other popular juices), cereals (dry cereals, steel cut oats cooked overnight, cream of wheat), breads (toasts, sweet rolls and doughnuts), eggs (cooked to order) and beverages (coffee, tea, hot cocoa, milk and buttermilk).​

Favorites
​

Along with the standard menu, a wide variety of special entrees found their way onto the Harvey House menu. The AT&SF had refrigerated cars dedicated to delivering fresh meats, fish and produce throughout their extensive network of restaurants, and this made it possible for travelers to enjoy foods that they would never have available in their local towns. Along with the standard menu mentioned above, diners could find listed on their menu under “Favorites” such special choices as:​

​

As with the standard “meat and three” offerings at the Harvey House, all are served with a choice of potato or vegetable, salad and freshly baked roll with butter.

Salads such as potato, lettuce, chicken, Cole slaw, etc., soups such as tomato, chicken noodle and oyster stew, and sandwiches from simple ham and cheese to triple-decker clubs and 100% beef hamburgers are also found on the menu at each Harvey House Restaurant.​

Blue Plate Specials
​

Every Harvey House Restaurant has a selection of Blue Plate Specials appropriate to their individual theme and location in the park. Traditionally, no substitutions were allowed, but at Americana 1900 the Harvey House Restaurants follow the concept of making the guest happy and will gladly make reasonable substitutes. In Maple Grove, the Blue Plates Specials are geared towards the more rural and working class of passengers and locals that would frequent a small-town railroad station. They include such hearty basics as:​

Dessert
​

If you’re still with me, you’ve earned some dessert, and it doesn’t get much better than dessert from a Harvey House kitchen. The restaurants were renowned for their baked goods, especially their desserts. Pies in most restaurants of the era (and still today) were cut either into six or eight pieces, but at a Harvey House Restaurant they were cut into four pieces, providing diners with a huge piece of dessert (assuming they had room for dessert at all!). That custom is followed at the Americana Harvey House Restaurants. Pies are offered in three sizes, to cater to modern appetites. A “Harvey House” size is still a quarter of the pie, a “Modern” sized piece of pie is a sixth of a pie, and a “Half-Harvey” is an eighth of a pie. Many diners take advantage of a “Double-Half,” where they get an eighth of a piece of two different pies served together on one plate- and a la mode with any of the dozen different flavors of ice cream available is always an option.​

A sample of the pies available, along with other desserts to be enjoyed after a Harvey House meal (or even just as a treat), includes:

​

On the back of the Blue Plate Special menu is printed a brief history of the Fred Harvey Company and the Harvey House chain of restaurants. A map shows the location of every Harvey House Restaurant and Hotel across the nation, with a key to help diners locate where they once stood (and may still stand) and where those still in operation can be visited and enjoyed.​

At the bottom of every menu are three phrases that appeared on almost every Harvey House Restaurant menu from the very beginning:

​

The Harvey House Restaurants were an important part of the growth of our nation's transportation system, and their recreated presence in Americana 1900 is a tribute to Fred Harvey, a man with an idea, and to the thousands of Harvey Girls who served millions of delicious meals to hungry travelers across our nation. Dining at one (or all) of the Americana 1900 Harvey House Restaurants- in Maple Grove, at Courthouse Square and on The Pike- will take guests on a tasty trip back to a time when delicious food, fair prices, friendly people and exceptional service were the norm, and infectious smiles were provided free of charge.​

*Note: Much of this information in the above Maple Grove description applies to the other Harvey House Restaurants in Americana 1900. Only information specific to their locations will be presented in their description.

 

[James G.]

A. Gurnock Bakery

​

The smell of fresh-baked bread from the two-story brick A. Gurnock’s Bakery will be an almost irresistible draw for guests to the east side of Maple Grove. Gurnock’s specializes in traditional baked goods created from treasured recipes passed down for generations. Sugar cookies, snickerdoodles and oatmeal raisin cookies, banana bread, gingerbread cakes and shortbread biscuits, pies such as apple, raisin, mincemeat and “shoofly” pie, and loaves of handcrafted artisan breads along with a constantly-changing selection of other baked goods fill the display cases and beckon passersby from the front windows of the shop.

There is no indoor seating in Gurnock’s Bakery, but the vacant lot beside the shop has been converted from a failed cooper business into a comfortably shaded dining area, the left-over barrels from the cooper being repurposed and converted into tables and chairs for hungry patrons of Gurnock’s who can’t wait to try their freshly baked treats. More seating can be found across the street in the tree-shaded Village Green, and many guests can be seen throughout Americana carrying bags of Gurnock’s cookies and pastries with them as they explore deeper into the park. Wise shoppers will make Gurnock’s their first stop in the park, where they will place and pay for an order for baked goods and have them waiting for them at the Pony Express Station to take home after a day experiencing the wonders of Americana 1900, America’s tastiest theme park!​

The Farmer’s Market
​

Every day is Market Day in Maple Grove. Sales wagons and market tents appear throughout the day in various locations throughout the wide plaza-like streets that surround the Village Green, where merchants offer goods for sale to augment that which is available in the permanent craft shops and retail stores found in Maple Grove and throughout Americana. Early arrivals to Americana might find a fruit vendor offering fresh oranges, bananas and apples, along with ice-cold juice and yogurt. Another wagon might offer hot coffee, tea and hot chocolate. Later in the day, especially during the daily band concert in the bandstand, wagons might appear selling patriotic banners, flags and bunting, along with period-appropriate children’s toys such as tops, wooden trains and building blocks. Bottles of root beer, ginger beer and sarsaparilla are chilled in ice-filled barrels, and hand-scooped ice cream is served in hand-rolled cones. In the evening, as guests are heading towards the parking lot, carts offer fresh fruit, kettle corn and packages of cookies to snack on during the drive home.​

​

 

[James G.]

A. Gurnock Bakery

​

The smell of fresh-baked bread from the two-story brick A. Gurnock’s Bakery will be an almost irresistible draw for guests to the east side of Maple Grove. Gurnock’s specializes in traditional baked goods created from treasured recipes passed down for generations. Sugar cookies, snickerdoodles and oatmeal raisin cookies, banana bread, gingerbread cakes and shortbread biscuits, pies such as apple, raisin, mincemeat and “shoofly” pie, and loaves of handcrafted artisan breads along with a constantly-changing selection of other baked goods fill the display cases and beckon passersby from the front windows of the shop.

There is no indoor seating in Gurnock’s Bakery, but the vacant lot beside the shop has been converted from a failed cooper business into a comfortably shaded dining area, the left-over barrels from the cooper being repurposed and converted into tables and chairs for hungry patrons of Gurnock’s who can’t wait to try their freshly baked treats. More seating can be found across the street in the tree-shaded Village Green, and many guests can be seen throughout Americana carrying bags of Gurnock’s cookies and pastries with them as they explore deeper into the park. Wise shoppers will make Gurnock’s their first stop in the park, where they will place and pay for an order for baked goods and have them waiting for them at the Pony Express Station to take home after a day experiencing the wonders of Americana 1900, America’s tastiest theme park!​

The Farmer’s Market
​

Every day is Market Day in Maple Grove. Sales wagons and market tents appear throughout the day in various locations throughout the wide plaza-like streets that surround the Village Green, where merchants offer goods for sale to augment that which is available in the permanent craft shops and retail stores found in Maple Grove and throughout Americana. Early arrivals to Americana might find a fruit vendor offering fresh oranges, bananas and apples, along with ice-cold juice and yogurt. Another wagon might offer hot coffee, tea and hot chocolate. Later in the day, especially during the daily band concert in the bandstand, wagons might appear selling patriotic banners, flags and bunting, along with period-appropriate children’s toys such as tops, wooden trains and building blocks. Bottles of root beer, ginger beer and sarsaparilla are chilled in ice-filled barrels, and hand-scooped ice cream is served in hand-rolled cones. In the evening, as guests are heading towards the parking lot, carts offer fresh fruit, kettle corn and packages of cookies to snack on during the drive home.​

​

We've debated if the bakery's name was Curnock or Gurnock. I decided to go with Gurnock. Too late to change it anyway!

 

[Suchomimus]

We've debated if the bakery's name was Curnock or Gurnock. I decided to go with Gurnock. Too late to change it anyway!

A. Gurnogk Bakery