Everyday History
Letters, receipts, and household records that put ordinary lives on the page.
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How did a grocery receipt learn the names of the groceries?
An early register could give a sale its own number and still have no idea what went into the bag. A slip of paper, a Florida grocer’s pen, and a pack of gum explain how that changed.
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What did $19.13 buy at a Florida grocer in 1911?
A grocer kept nearly a month of charges on one sheet. Seven little figures above a line of handwriting show how to read it.