Did you know: Bubble Gum

Bubble gum, one of the joys of American youngsters but too often found on sidewalks and under chair seats, was developed in 1928 by a tinkering accountant. Walter Diemer of the Fleer Chewing Gum Company in Philadelphia concocted a batch that was less sticky than regular gum and stretched more easily. It was pink because that was the only food color on hand when he made the first batch. Seeing that it would make bubbles, he distributed free samples to stores throughout Philadelphia. By 1929, Diemer's invention — Dubble Bubble — caught on. Bubble gum is part of America's nonchocolate confectionary manufacturing industry comprised of some 440 establishments producing over $5.7 billion worth of treats annually. You can find more facts about America from the U.S. Census Bureau online at www.census.gov.