Fact File about the Invention of Cotton Candy: Invention *** Date of Invention: 1897 *** Name of Inventors: William Morrison and John C. Wharton *** Nationality of Inventors: American *** Historical Period: Second US Industrial Revolution / Victorian(1850 - 1914) *** Category: Food and Drink *** Country of Origin: America *** The Inventors and Invention ***

Fact 1 about the Invention of Cotton Candy: Machine spun Cotton Candy was invented by dentist William Morrison and the confectioner John C. Wharton in 1897 in Nashville, Tennessee, during the Second US Industrial Revolution  era of inventions.

Fact 2 about the Invention of Cotton Candy: Cotton Candy is a form of 'spun sugar' which dates back until at least 1769 when recipes by Elizabeth Raffald (1733–1781) were included in 'The Experienced English House-keeper' cookery book.  The recipe explained how to "To spin a Silver Web or a a Gold Web for covering Sweetmeats". (Sweetmeats were "a sweet thing to eat" such as a cake made with almonds).

Fact 3 about the Invention of Cotton Candy: Sugar was very expensive at this time and the silver and gold webs only graced the tables of the wealthy who were treated to amazing creations of castles, palaces, bird's nests.

Fact 4 about the Invention of Cotton Candy: The process of creating 'spun sugar' was costly and labor intensive. It was only when a machine was invented to produce a similar product did the sweet, sticky treat become available to all.

Fact 5 about the Invention of Cotton Candy: In 1897 a machine for making spun sugar, later called Cotton Candy, was invented and patented by John C. Wharton and William Morris.

Fact 6 about the Invention of Cotton Candy: The machine for making Cotton Candy worked by heating sugar and coloring in a small, spinning container that sat in the middle of a large metal drum. The 'spinner' had tiny holes which sent the liquid sugar flying out in strands. When the strands come in contact with the air, they became solid and formed sweet, cottony threads inside the bowl.

Fact 7 about the Invention of Cotton Candy: They described the purpose of their machine was "to convert ordinary granulated sugar into finely-attenuated threads". Threads of cotton candy are thinner than a human hair.

Fact 8 about the Invention of Cotton Candy: The air spun treat was originally called "Fairy Floss". It is probable that the invention of the first form of dental floss, which was invented by a New Orleans dentist called Levi Spear Parmly in 1882, ironically had some influence of the original name of "Fairy Floss".  

Fact 9 about the Invention of Cotton Candy: A year after the Wharton and Morris invention another American called Thomas Patton patented a slightly different machine and teamed up with the Ringling Bros. Circus to market his product.

Fact 10 about the Invention of Cotton Candy: The two, original inventors Wharton and Morris debuted their new 'Fairy Floss' at the 1904 Louisiana Purchase Exposition which was held to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the Louisiana Purchase. The famous event became popularly known as the 1904 St. Louis World's Fair.

Fact 11 about the Invention of Cotton Candy: The 1904 St. Louis World's Fair attracted 19.7 million people. Its purpose was to promote entertainment, consumer goods and popular culture.

Fact 12 about the Invention of Cotton Candy: The idea of Wharton and Morris to introduce the world to their invention of "Fairy Floss" (later Cotton Candy) was a stroke of pure genius. They managed to sell 68,655 boxes of cotton
candy for 25 cents a container, it was an expensive treat, equivalent to $6 per box today. The sales made $17,164 - a small fortune at the time, equivalent to about $400,000 today.

Fact 13 about the Invention of Cotton Candy: Morrison and Wharton’s patent ran out in 1921 and other inventors tried to improve upon their "Fairy Floss" candy machine.

Fact 14 about the Invention of Cotton Candy: Joseph Delarose Lascaux, a dentist from New Orleans, Louisiana, invented a similar machine in 1921. The Joseph Lascaux patent named the sweet confection "cotton candy" .

Fact 15 about the Invention of Cotton Candy: The name "Cotton Candy" caught on it was re-branded and the name "Fairy Floss" became forgotten in America.

Fact 16 about the Invention of Cotton Candy: The sweet, sticky product became a firm favorite at events such as carnivals, circuses and fairgrounds. In 2009 a vending machine was invented to serve cotton candy.

Fact 17 about the Invention of Cotton Candy: Cotton candy comes in many different flavours, including vanilla, banana, bubble gum, chocolate, watermelon and maple syrup. It also comes in other colors, including  blue and green, but the pink color is still the firm favorite.

Fact 18 about the Invention of Cotton Candy: The invention of Cotton Candy

Fact 19 about the Invention of Cotton Candy: It takes about 30 grams of sugar to make a typical serving size of cotton candy.

Fact 20: National Cotton Candy Day is celebrated in America on November 7 each year.

Who invented Cotton Candy? Now you know that William Morrison and John C. Wharton were the names of the people who invented Cotton Candy! We hope that the facts in this article have provided the answers to all of your questions about the Invention of Cotton Candy and its famous inventors. Click the links if you would like to know who invented Bubble Gum and who invented Candy.

Fast Info and Fact File about the Invention of Cotton Candy: Country of Origin: America *** Name of Inventors: William Morrison and John C. Wharton *** Nationality of Inventors: American *** Date of Invention: 1897 *** Invention  *** Invention Era: Second US Industrial Revolution / Victorian(1850 - 1914) *** Type: Food and Drink *** The Inventors and Invention ***