Historic menus

Restaurant menus can be interesting for their artwork, general design, and as a historical artifact. It's interesting to look at prices, unusual items, and different cultural sensibilities. I'm going to start with five menus for this post.

A special game dinner help to honor president Theodore Roosevelt, the Bozanta Tavern, Hayden Lake, Idaho, 1909


Menu details from a reception for the International Hotel Alliance by French government officials:

http://www.hotelschool.cornell.edu/research/library/collections/menus/menu-images.html?lm_menuid=909140


More menu details can be found here:

http://www.hotelschool.cornell.edu/research/library/collections/menus/menu-images.html?lm_menuid=926104

Check out the other great menus from the Cornell University School of Hotel Administration.

http://www.hotelschool.cornell.edu/research/library/collections/menus/detail.html?id=909140

Three from the Colorado Menus Collection:

http://www.coloradocollege.edu/Library/SpecialCollections/Colorado/Menus.html

Easter Dinner at the Alamo Hotel, Colorado Springs, 1895:






Drink all your milk and get a free lollipop at the Holiday Inn Hotel. (children's menu, 1970?)



Some typical 1950's menu items with typical 1950's prices - just don't get drunk or rowdy at the Holland House in Golden. (1958)





The complete menu can be found here:

http://www.coloradocollege.edu/Library/SpecialCollections/Colorado/menus/hollandhousemay1958.htm