Chisholm Sugar Bush: Historical Marker

Historical Marker for the Chisholm Sugarbush erected by Andrew W. West

If it weren't for this incident, Vermont may not be known as the maple region today! In 1893 Henry H. Hill submitted maple syrup to the Chicago Exposition and received the Best in Show award! Vermonters across the state celebrated the achievement with pride. Little did they know, the maple syrup that was entered in the exposition, was not native to Vermont!

The scandal was realized in 1956 when the Olean Times Herald published an article detailing the incident. In the article, Andrew Chisholm, was interviewed. Chisholm was nine years old at the time of the incident but still recalls his father's reaction. Chisholm's father, John Andrew Chisholm, took over his father's farm and blacksmith shop when he passed in 1863. John Chisholm then expanded the sugar operation to be an 800-bucket farm, which was very large for the time.

Employees boiling sap into Maple Syrup at Heart's Delight Farm

One day John Chisholm's brother-in-law and Andrew Chisholm's Uncle, Henry H. Hill, purchased ten gallons of maple syrup from Mr. Chisholm. Mr. Chisholm found the order large but thought nothing of it. Then word arrived back in Chazy that Mr. Hill's maple syrup was awarded Best in Show and Mr. Hill even admitted that he had used Mr. Chisholm's maple syrup to Mr. Chisholm. Andrew Chisholm states that his father did not seem bothered by the fact that his

Harvesting sap from Heart's Delight Maple Trees

brother-in-law entered his maple syrup in the exposition. After all, Mr. Chisholm was not going to attend the Chicago Exposition. However, John Chisholm was bothered that the maple syrup was recognized as a product of Vermont and not of New York State. Nonetheless, the scandal remained quiet until the 1956 article was published. The Chisholm Sugar Bush Historical Marker was erected by Andrew W. West, grandson of Andrew Chisholm in order to commemorate the incident.