City of Alexandria, Virginia
________________
MEMORANDUM
DATE: FEBRUARY 6, 2019
TO: THE HONORABLE MAYOR AND MEMBERS OF CITY COUNCIL
FROM: MARK B. JINKS, CITY MANAGER /s/
DOCKET TITLE:
TITLE
Consideration of approval for the Office of Historic Alexandria to accept a research grant from Mars Wrigley Confectionary in the amount of $10,000.
BODY
_________________________________________________________________
ISSUE: Consideration of approval of a $10,000 Forrest E. Mars, Jr. Chocolate History Research Grant from Mars Wrigley Confectionary to research Alexandria’s chocolate history.
RECOMMENDATION: That City Council authorize the City Manager to:
(1) Approve the acceptance of the $10,000 research grant;
(2) Execute all necessary documents that may be required.
BACKGROUND: The Office of Historic Alexandria has partnered with American Heritage Chocolate, a division of Mars Wrigley Confectionary, to offer a variety of historical chocolate-related programs. These programs range from enjoying liquid chocolate at Girl Scout teas to learning about the history of chocolate through the Mars Chocolate Ambassador Program at the annual Historic Alexandria Holiday Candlelight Tours. American Heritage Chocolate is a special blend of cocoa and spices based on 18th-century recipes that was developed to be used and sold only at 18th and early 19th century historic sites.
DISCUSSION: Funds from the grant will be used to research the 18th-century history of chocolate in Alexandria. Primary sources such as ship manifests, merchant account records, newspapers, and inventories in OHA collections and the Special Collections Library will be searched for references to cocoa, chocolate, chocolate-making equipment, and consumption. With the findings, OHA staff will create more in depth and research-based educational and public programs that use chocolate to illustrate Alexandria as a center of commerce.
FISCAL IMPACT: Grant funds will be used to support the necessary research and program development. No city funding, except staff, support time is required.
ATTACHMENTS: None.
STAFF:
Emily A. Baker, Deputy City Manager
Gretchen M. Bulova, Director, Office of Historic Alexandria