State of Maine Pure Spruce Gum

donna

Brev. Brig. Gen'l
Forum Host
Joined
May 12, 2010
Location
Now Florida but always a Kentuckian
This gum was first commercialized by John B. Curtis in 1848 in Bradford, Maine. John and his brother manufatured the gum on the top of a Franklin Stove. At first, sales were slow, but by 1849 had picked up. The flavor was not well-liked.

In 1850, Curtis added paraffin gums to the product line. Some of the parafin flavors included: White Mountain, Biggest and Best, Four-in-Hand, Sugar Cream, and Licorice Lulu.

They also expanded their Spruce Gum to include: American Flag, 200 Lump Spruce, Trunk Spruce, and Yankee Spruce.

I have tried to find out if Spruce Gum is still sold today. There were several who commented they had seen it many years ago when they were young.

Do any of you from Maine know if it can still be bought?

From History of Spruce Gum, http://www.mpbn.net/homestom/p5srucegum.html
 
There are a few places online where you can buy black spruce resin, both raw and "debugged." Raw resin has to be heated to its liquid form, when it can be strained to get out all the extraneous matter natural to it (i.e. grit, twigs, bark, dead bugs, etc).
Nowa'days lumps of raw spruce gum come in wooden boxes:1601578398369.png I don't think the "Naturalist" brand is around any more. But there's a seller on Esty that offers refined spruce gum, individually wrapped in wax paper, at the bargain rate (!!!) of $21 per ounce (15-20 pieces). I think I'll pass on it, though his listing has some interesting information on its preparation.

Of course, you can always do it yourself:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qz1nPF0vDJ4

BTW: in its liquid state, you can also use it to waterproof your boat!
 
So I'm guessing in its original formula it would be like chewing on a Christmas tree . I've read that spruce tea was used against scurvy , so would spruce gum do the same ?
 
Back
Top