Clabber Girl Museum | Terre Haute

The Clabber Girl Museum was a distinctive cultural and historical institution located in downtown Terre Haute, Indiana, dedicated to chronicling the legacy of the Clabber Girl brand and the influential Hulman family who were pivotal in the region’s industrial and social development. The museum was housed in the historic Hulman & Co. building, a prominent structure built in 1892 that once served as the headquarters and manufacturing site for the Clabber Girl baking powder company.

Historical Context and Foundation

Clabber Girl baking powder has been a household name since the late 19th century, originally developed and marketed by Hulman & Co., a local business that grew alongside Terre Haute’s industrial expansion. The Hulman family, founders of the company, played a significant role not only in the baking powder industry but also in the economic and cultural fabric of the city and beyond.

The museum was established in 2002 to preserve and showcase this rich heritage. Its goal was to provide visitors with an immersive experience into the history of Clabber Girl products, the development of baking powder as a key household ingredient, and the broader story of innovation, marketing, and community impact surrounding the brand.

Exhibits and Features

The Clabber Girl Museum featured a range of carefully curated exhibits designed to appeal to visitors of all ages and interests:

Brand History: Displays traced the origins and evolution of the Clabber Girl brand from its inception in the 1890s. Visitors could see original packaging, advertising posters, and vintage marketing campaigns that documented how Clabber Girl became a staple in American kitchens.

Manufacturing and Industrial Process: The museum showcased artifacts and information about the manufacturing process, including machinery, factory tools, and production techniques used over the decades. This gave insight into early 20th-century industrial practices and the growth of food processing in the Midwest.

Hulman Family Legacy: The Hulman family’s impact extended beyond the baking powder business, and the museum highlighted their contributions to the community, including philanthropy, civic engagement, and business ventures. Special emphasis was placed on Tony Hulman Jr., who famously purchased the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in 1945.

Advertising and Cultural Influence: The museum featured exhibits on the marketing strategies that made Clabber Girl a household name, including sponsorship of local events and the brand’s connection to American culture through radio, television, and print advertising.

Clabber Girl Bake Shop Café

Adjacent to the museum was the Clabber Girl Bake Shop Café, a popular local gathering spot. The café offered fresh-baked goods inspired by the brand’s baking traditions, such as cakes, cookies, and pastries, alongside coffee and soft drinks. This café was not only a place for refreshments but also served as a community space for events, meetings, and informal socializing, further embedding the brand in the local culture.

Connection to Auto Racing and Broader Cultural Impact

A unique aspect of the museum’s story was its connection to American auto racing. The Hulman family’s acquisition of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in 1945 marked a significant intersection between business and sports culture. This move helped promote the Clabber Girl brand through association with the prestigious Indianapolis 500 race, intertwining the company’s identity with one of the nation’s most famous sporting events.

The museum included displays and narratives about this relationship, highlighting how the family’s vision extended beyond baking powder into broader cultural arenas.

Closure and Legacy

In July 2021, the Clabber Girl Museum and its associated Bake Shop Café closed their doors to the public. This closure followed the sale of the Clabber Girl brand and operations to B&G Foods Inc. in 2019, which resulted in a strategic shift away from maintaining the museum. Despite the closure, the Hulman & Co. building remains an important historic landmark in Terre Haute.

Local businessman Greg Gibson acquired the building in 2020, expressing commitment to preserving its historical significance and exploring possibilities for adaptive reuse that honor the site’s heritage.

Significance

While no longer operating as a museum, the Clabber Girl Museum represented a unique blend of industrial history, family legacy, marketing innovation, and regional pride. It served as a cultural touchstone that connected Terre Haute’s industrial past with its community identity and national influence.

Summary

The Clabber Girl Museum offered a rich, immersive experience into the history of one of America’s iconic baking powder brands and the family behind it. Through exhibits on manufacturing, advertising, and cultural connections-particularly the Hulman family’s role in auto racing-the museum provided valuable insights into the intersections of industry, community, and culture in Terre Haute. Although the museum has closed, its legacy continues through the preservation of the Hulman & Co. building and the enduring impact of the Clabber Girl brand on both local and national history.