Smithsonian - National Museum of American History, Behring Center
Taking America to Lunch
The Other Box
The First Generation
 
Miners' dinner pails

Click to enlarge imageMiners' dinner pails

Late 19th century

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American industrial workers have often carried their lunch in plain metal buckets. Since the mid-19th century, miners, factory workers, dock hands, and other laborers have used sturdy dinner pails to hold hard-boiled eggs, vegetables, meat, coffee, pie, and other hardy fare. In 1904, "thermos" vacuum bottles began keeping workers' drinks hot or cold until the noon whistle blew.

Parents 100 years ago often gave their schoolchildren an empty tobacco or coffee tin to carry some fresh-picked strawberries and bread, a wedge of cheese, and possibly a handful of shelled hickory nuts. Other children carried a fancy store-bought lunch pail, a paper sack, or no lunch at all.

Two thermos bottles

Click to enlarge imageThermos bottles

by Thermos, 1920s (left) and 1906
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Worker's lunch bucket

Click to enlarge imageWorker's lunch bucket

by Thermos, 1920s

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Green Turtle cigar tin

Click to enlarge imageGreen Turtle cigar tin

This tin was recycled as a lunch box. 1890s

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Miner's dinner pail

Click to enlarge imageMiner's dinner pail

Late 19th century

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Central Union cut plug tin

Click to enlarge imageCentral Union cut plug tin

This tin was recycled as a lunch box. 1890s

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Miner's bottle

Click to enlarge imageMiner's bottle

Late 19th century
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Lunch Pail brand coffee tin

Click to enlarge imageLunch Pail brand coffee tin

This tin was recycled as a lunch box. 1880s

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Hand Bag tobacco tin

Click to enlarge imageHand Bag tobacco tin

This tin was recycled as a lunch box. 1890s

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Miner's dinner pail

Click to enlarge imageMiner's dinner pail

Late 19th century

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