1 00:00:00,120 --> 00:00:01,920 Speaker 1: This Day in History Class is a production of I 2 00:00:02,000 --> 00:00:13,480 Speaker 1: Heart Radio. Hello and Welcome to This Day in History Class, 3 00:00:13,520 --> 00:00:17,640 Speaker 1: a show that discovers something new about history every day 4 00:00:17,680 --> 00:00:21,520 Speaker 1: of the week. I'm Gabe Lousier, and in this episode, 5 00:00:21,840 --> 00:00:24,560 Speaker 1: we're looking at how a cheesy gift from a small 6 00:00:24,560 --> 00:00:27,319 Speaker 1: New England town made its way to the White House 7 00:00:27,360 --> 00:00:38,080 Speaker 1: dinner table and became a part of US history. The 8 00:00:38,200 --> 00:00:44,600 Speaker 1: day was July eighteen o one. The town of Cheshire, Massachusetts, 9 00:00:44,880 --> 00:00:48,080 Speaker 1: made a one thousand, two hundred and thirty five pound 10 00:00:48,200 --> 00:00:52,239 Speaker 1: cheese wheel as a gift for President Thomas Jefferson. It 11 00:00:52,240 --> 00:00:54,720 Speaker 1: would take a great deal of effort to deliver the 12 00:00:54,800 --> 00:00:58,000 Speaker 1: cheese to its recipient and Washington d C. But the 13 00:00:58,080 --> 00:01:02,360 Speaker 1: newly elected Jefferson was held in high regard in western Massachusetts, 14 00:01:02,480 --> 00:01:06,200 Speaker 1: so the task was considered well worth the trouble. The 15 00:01:06,200 --> 00:01:11,000 Speaker 1: town's esteem for Jefferson seems strange at first, after all, 16 00:01:11,240 --> 00:01:14,240 Speaker 1: he had won the position by defeating John Adams, a 17 00:01:14,319 --> 00:01:19,440 Speaker 1: Massachusetts native. But Cheshire was a community of Republican Baptists, 18 00:01:19,480 --> 00:01:23,600 Speaker 1: an outlier in a state largely populated by Federalist Puritans. 19 00:01:24,280 --> 00:01:27,679 Speaker 1: The people of Cheshire were rural farmers and didn't share 20 00:01:27,720 --> 00:01:31,160 Speaker 1: Adam's desire for a stronger central government or the effect 21 00:01:31,240 --> 00:01:34,399 Speaker 1: it might have on their local economy. They had also 22 00:01:34,520 --> 00:01:38,280 Speaker 1: been subjected to religious discrimination in their home state, and 23 00:01:38,360 --> 00:01:41,920 Speaker 1: in Thomas Jefferson they saw a champion of religious liberty, 24 00:01:42,360 --> 00:01:45,600 Speaker 1: someone who would strengthen the divide between church and state 25 00:01:45,800 --> 00:01:50,680 Speaker 1: and prevent their future abuse. One Cheshire resident, in particular, 26 00:01:50,880 --> 00:01:55,000 Speaker 1: town elder and preacher John Leland, was especially fired up 27 00:01:55,040 --> 00:01:58,440 Speaker 1: about the country's new president. In the summer of eighteen 28 00:01:58,440 --> 00:02:01,800 Speaker 1: o one, he convinced his congregation to pitch in for 29 00:02:01,840 --> 00:02:05,080 Speaker 1: a lavish gift to honor the only politician who had 30 00:02:05,120 --> 00:02:10,040 Speaker 1: their back. Leland didn't ask for money, though. Instead he 31 00:02:10,120 --> 00:02:14,000 Speaker 1: asked that every Republican in town donate a day's worth 32 00:02:14,040 --> 00:02:17,600 Speaker 1: of milk from each of their cows. Once collected, the 33 00:02:17,639 --> 00:02:20,959 Speaker 1: milk would be delivered to Elijah Brown's cider mill, where 34 00:02:21,080 --> 00:02:25,280 Speaker 1: especially modified press would transform the curd into a massive 35 00:02:25,360 --> 00:02:30,040 Speaker 1: chunk of cheddar cheese fit for a president. Leland underscored 36 00:02:30,080 --> 00:02:33,840 Speaker 1: the idea that milk from Federalist cows should not be 37 00:02:33,880 --> 00:02:37,919 Speaker 1: included in the project, lest it spoil the political purity 38 00:02:38,120 --> 00:02:42,320 Speaker 1: of their gift. The idea drew wide support and July 39 00:02:42,480 --> 00:02:46,000 Speaker 1: twenty was chosen as the date for the town wide undertaking. 40 00:02:46,600 --> 00:02:49,920 Speaker 1: On that day, the cream from an estimated nine hundred 41 00:02:49,960 --> 00:02:52,919 Speaker 1: cows was handed off to the most skilled dairy women 42 00:02:52,960 --> 00:02:57,040 Speaker 1: in town. They then placed the curd inside an oversized 43 00:02:57,120 --> 00:03:00,400 Speaker 1: cheese hoop and slowly lowered a giant screw the hoop 44 00:03:00,480 --> 00:03:04,080 Speaker 1: to press the cheese. This process took all day, but 45 00:03:04,200 --> 00:03:07,040 Speaker 1: ultimately it yielded a ball of cheese more than four 46 00:03:07,120 --> 00:03:11,720 Speaker 1: feet in diameter, thirteen feet in circumference, and seventeen inches 47 00:03:11,760 --> 00:03:15,000 Speaker 1: in height. Once it was dried, the side of the 48 00:03:15,080 --> 00:03:19,880 Speaker 1: cheese was reportedly inscribed with Thomas Jefferson's favorite motto, Rebellion 49 00:03:19,960 --> 00:03:24,839 Speaker 1: to tyrants is obedience to God. Elder Leland then led 50 00:03:24,880 --> 00:03:27,760 Speaker 1: the town in a hymn, gave a blessing, and dismissed 51 00:03:27,760 --> 00:03:31,360 Speaker 1: the crowd after a long day's work. As for the cheese, 52 00:03:31,680 --> 00:03:35,080 Speaker 1: it was allowed to age until late November while Leland 53 00:03:35,120 --> 00:03:39,120 Speaker 1: made arrangements for its transportation to Washington. It was decided 54 00:03:39,160 --> 00:03:42,960 Speaker 1: that he should deliver the gift himself, along with Darius Brown, 55 00:03:43,280 --> 00:03:46,320 Speaker 1: the local engineer who had adapted the cider press into 56 00:03:46,320 --> 00:03:50,520 Speaker 1: a giant cheese press. With their colossal cargo in place, 57 00:03:50,840 --> 00:03:53,280 Speaker 1: the two men set out through the hills of Berkshire 58 00:03:53,320 --> 00:03:57,120 Speaker 1: County in a wagon drawn by six horses. A sign 59 00:03:57,200 --> 00:04:00,240 Speaker 1: on the side of the wagon identified its contents as 60 00:04:00,360 --> 00:04:04,200 Speaker 1: quote the greatest cheese in America for the greatest man 61 00:04:04,360 --> 00:04:08,440 Speaker 1: in America. When they reached the Hudson River, the cheese 62 00:04:08,480 --> 00:04:12,200 Speaker 1: was transferred to a boat and taken to Baltimore. From there, 63 00:04:12,280 --> 00:04:14,520 Speaker 1: it was placed back in a wagon and driven the 64 00:04:14,560 --> 00:04:16,960 Speaker 1: rest of the way to Washington, where it arrived on 65 00:04:17,000 --> 00:04:21,120 Speaker 1: December twenty nine, eighteen o one. The giant ball of 66 00:04:21,240 --> 00:04:25,320 Speaker 1: cheese had garnered plenty of attention during its journey. Crowds 67 00:04:25,320 --> 00:04:29,360 Speaker 1: gathered wherever it passed, and newspapers either praised or mocked 68 00:04:29,360 --> 00:04:32,279 Speaker 1: the endeavor, depending on which side of the political aisle 69 00:04:32,360 --> 00:04:36,239 Speaker 1: they were on. One paper with a Republican bent touted 70 00:04:36,279 --> 00:04:40,599 Speaker 1: the gigantic dairy product as the quote ultra Democratic, anti 71 00:04:40,680 --> 00:04:45,960 Speaker 1: Federalist cheese of Cheshire. It was also nicknamed the Mammoth Cheese, 72 00:04:46,400 --> 00:04:49,480 Speaker 1: marking the first use of the word mammoth as an adjective. 73 00:04:50,120 --> 00:04:53,320 Speaker 1: That word was already on people's minds, as bones of 74 00:04:53,400 --> 00:04:57,760 Speaker 1: prehistoric mammoths had recently been discovered in the us. On 75 00:04:57,800 --> 00:05:01,440 Speaker 1: the morning of New Year's Day eighteen know too, Leland 76 00:05:01,480 --> 00:05:05,680 Speaker 1: and Brown ceremoniously presented the mammoth cheese to Thomas Jefferson 77 00:05:05,720 --> 00:05:08,960 Speaker 1: at the White House. Leland explained that the cheese was 78 00:05:08,960 --> 00:05:12,440 Speaker 1: a token of appreciation from his supporters and Cheshire, and 79 00:05:12,520 --> 00:05:15,760 Speaker 1: that it had been produced quote by the personal labor 80 00:05:15,880 --> 00:05:19,640 Speaker 1: of freedom farmers, with the voluntary and cheerful aid of 81 00:05:19,680 --> 00:05:23,719 Speaker 1: their wives and daughters, without the assistance of a single slave. 82 00:05:24,760 --> 00:05:28,160 Speaker 1: It's unclear how much Jefferson cared about that last part, 83 00:05:28,480 --> 00:05:33,360 Speaker 1: as he was himself an enslaver. Nonetheless, he accepted the gift, 84 00:05:33,600 --> 00:05:37,520 Speaker 1: calling it quote extraordinary proof of the skill with which 85 00:05:37,560 --> 00:05:40,679 Speaker 1: those domestic arts which contribute so much to our daily 86 00:05:40,720 --> 00:05:45,080 Speaker 1: comfort are practiced by them. He also ensured the cheese 87 00:05:45,120 --> 00:05:49,280 Speaker 1: is long legacy, saying quote, I shall cause this auspicious 88 00:05:49,279 --> 00:05:52,279 Speaker 1: event to be placed upon the archives of the nation, 89 00:05:52,680 --> 00:05:55,640 Speaker 1: while I shall ever esteem this occasion as one of 90 00:05:55,640 --> 00:06:00,280 Speaker 1: the happiest in my history. After those remarks, a White 91 00:06:00,320 --> 00:06:03,520 Speaker 1: House steward began cutting up the giant cheese and dishing 92 00:06:03,520 --> 00:06:06,840 Speaker 1: it out in large slices with bread. It said that 93 00:06:06,880 --> 00:06:10,760 Speaker 1: the President, his cabinet, and various other officials partook of 94 00:06:10,800 --> 00:06:14,320 Speaker 1: the mammoth cheese, with Jefferson insisting that Leland takes some 95 00:06:14,480 --> 00:06:16,680 Speaker 1: home with him as well so that the town could 96 00:06:16,720 --> 00:06:21,679 Speaker 1: enjoy it too. Despite his gracious acceptance, the President wasn't 97 00:06:21,880 --> 00:06:26,880 Speaker 1: entirely thrilled with his present. Although presidential gifts weren't uncommon 98 00:06:26,920 --> 00:06:30,200 Speaker 1: at the time, Jefferson had a strict policy to refuse 99 00:06:30,279 --> 00:06:33,800 Speaker 1: them so that he couldn't be accused of impropriety. He 100 00:06:33,960 --> 00:06:36,880 Speaker 1: seemed to make an exception for the mammoth cheese, but 101 00:06:37,000 --> 00:06:40,800 Speaker 1: then three days later he paid Leland two hundred dollars, 102 00:06:40,839 --> 00:06:44,240 Speaker 1: making it a purchase, not a gift. As for the 103 00:06:44,320 --> 00:06:47,600 Speaker 1: fate of the Cheshire cheese, it continued to be displayed 104 00:06:47,640 --> 00:06:51,240 Speaker 1: and served at the executive mansion for anywhere from six 105 00:06:51,279 --> 00:06:55,120 Speaker 1: months to three years. Some sources claim the cheese was 106 00:06:55,160 --> 00:06:58,080 Speaker 1: still present as late as March of eighteen o four, 107 00:06:58,520 --> 00:07:01,159 Speaker 1: at which point it's condition is said to be quote 108 00:07:01,600 --> 00:07:05,359 Speaker 1: very far from being good. No one can say for 109 00:07:05,440 --> 00:07:08,400 Speaker 1: certain how long the mammoth cheese was kept or when 110 00:07:08,440 --> 00:07:11,840 Speaker 1: it was ultimately thrown out. Some accounts suggest it was 111 00:07:11,920 --> 00:07:15,240 Speaker 1: last served at a presidential reception in eighteen o five, 112 00:07:15,640 --> 00:07:19,000 Speaker 1: and that the remainder was subsequently tossed into the Potomac River, 113 00:07:19,560 --> 00:07:24,000 Speaker 1: but most historians doubt that actually happened. Today, you can 114 00:07:24,040 --> 00:07:27,880 Speaker 1: relive all the excitement yourself by visiting a life size 115 00:07:27,920 --> 00:07:30,760 Speaker 1: replica of the Mammoth Cheese that sits next to the 116 00:07:30,880 --> 00:07:35,320 Speaker 1: Ashoe Wiltakook rail trail in Cheshire. Just bear in mind 117 00:07:35,360 --> 00:07:39,120 Speaker 1: that the sculpture is made of fiberglass insulation painteds who 118 00:07:39,200 --> 00:07:42,440 Speaker 1: look like cheese. So if you're planning to go b 119 00:07:42,800 --> 00:07:47,840 Speaker 1: y O C, I'm gave Lucier and hopefully you now 120 00:07:47,880 --> 00:07:51,800 Speaker 1: know a little more about history today than you did yesterday. 121 00:07:52,040 --> 00:07:55,000 Speaker 1: You can learn even more about history by following us 122 00:07:55,040 --> 00:07:59,800 Speaker 1: on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram at t d I HC Show, 123 00:08:00,520 --> 00:08:03,240 Speaker 1: and if you have any comments or suggestions, feel free 124 00:08:03,280 --> 00:08:05,640 Speaker 1: to send them my way at this day at I 125 00:08:05,760 --> 00:08:09,480 Speaker 1: heart media dot com. Thanks as always the Chandler Mes 126 00:08:09,600 --> 00:08:12,320 Speaker 1: for producing the show, and thanks to you for listening. 127 00:08:12,760 --> 00:08:15,840 Speaker 1: I'll see you back here again tomorrow for another day 128 00:08:16,040 --> 00:08:17,040 Speaker 1: in History class.