• Welcome to our unique “Docu-site” which compares the relationship of the American Dream to a seemingly insignificant product – chewing gum! What we found might surprise you!
    For the full experience, visit us on desktop or tablet.
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    Tales from Quintana Roo
    Once the basis of all modern era chewing gum, chicle has been harvested in the rainforests of the Yucatan for more than 100 years. Here you will meet several elders as they reminisce about the life and dangers of being a Chiclero.
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    Return to the Rainforest
    Although chicle is no longer the main ingredient used in most modern day chewing gum, it still forms the basis of working cooperatives, fair wages and sustainable farming for the new guardians of the Yucatan’s rainforest.
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    From Chicle to Chiclets
    After Mexico's loss at the Battle of the Alamo, President General Antonio López de Santa Anna was exiled from Mexico and found himself in Staten Island, where he would surreptitiously meet up with inventor Thomas Adams. The rest, as they say, is (gum) history.
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    Master of Marketing
    There is probably no one single name in the history of chewing gum bigger than William Wrigley Jr.
    A soap salesman
    turned entrepreneur, Wrigley personifies
    the very meaning of
    the American Dream.
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    Pennies from Heaven
    More than 100 years ago, a roofing salesman, Ford Mason and his father W.N. Mason, a Baptist minister, re-invented the gumball machine. Soon after, the “Chew For Charity” program raised millions of dollars for charities across the land, one penny at a time.
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    The Mayor of
    Flavor-Town
    COMING SOON!
    You might say Beechnut founder Bartlett Arkell had his own vision of America, and it was reflected in everything he did, from the amazing Gum Girls to classic advertising by artist Norman Rockwell. There was even a travelling miniature circus. Welcome to Flavor-Town.
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    The GUM Beneath My Wings
    Col. Gail Halverson or “Uncle Wiggly Wings”, as the children of the Berlin Airlift came to know him, might represent the epitome of what the American Dream is really meant to be. See how two sticks of gum really did change his life.
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  • Signs of the Times
    What do you do with the world’s largest neon sign in Times Square during WWII? If you're P.K. Wrigley you tear it down and send all the scrap metal to be used in the war effort.
    COMING SOON!
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    A Question of Taste
    In Burlington Vermont, we find the home of The Post Institute, named after Emily Post, long regarded as the authority on all things etiquette. Her granddaughter Lizzie, fills us in on a few of the do’s and don’ts about chewing gum in today’s society.
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    Seeing Double
    Beginning in 1939 Wrigley’s started using depictions of twins in stylized print advertisements by famed Wrigley artist Otis Shepard.
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    The Chewing GUM Man
    Environmental or “Outsider” artist, Ben Wilson of Muswell Hill England, has painted more than 10,000 miniature works of art throughout England and Europe on discarded gum, making it look a lot more pleasant.
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    Spitting Image
    What one might call the perfect gum in cheek example of “Pop” art, Jason Kronenwald’s stunning collection
    of “Gum Blondes”
    is definitely a
    head turner.
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    Black Mark on Society
    Those black spots you see all over the pavement have become a major headache and expense for cities all over the world. Now we’re not sure when it became acceptable for people to throw their germy old gum away in such an indiscriminate fashion, but it has to stop!
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    Please GUM Again
    Discover how changing our nasty disposal habits could have a very positive impact on the issue of gum litter. Meet Anna Bullus and her amazing Gumdrop dream.
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    Food For Thought
    Can chewing gum really make you smarter? Have a look at our test results.
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    Credits
    Listed here are the names of those who helped us cook up the recipe for GUM: An American Dream. We are truly grateful for their kind participation.
    Roll 'Em
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    Own a piece of
    GUM: An American Dream
    We pretty much lost our shirts making this docu-site, but now you have a chance to own one. All proceeds go towards helping the American Dream Team maintain the docu-site.

    For ordering and more information on the GUM t-shirt, please click Get Yours.
    Get Yours
  • Contact Us
    If you would like to know when new GUM pieces are released or have any comments, please email us anytime.
    contact@gumanamericandream.com
    Back to The Beginning
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