Fisher scones are a Washington State Fair staple, and another member of the Food Fair series that I have briefly featured before (back in the summer 2019 Northwest Recipes series). Just as they should have been, they were sold at the ’62 World’s Fair at a stand called “Fisher’s Exposition Scones.”
The history of Fisher scones stretches back to 1910 with the incorporation of Fisher Flour Mills in Seattle. When the mill began operations the following year, it was the largest flour mill in the west. Looking for ways to promote their superior flour (besides the baking competitions and the newly-established Fisher Communications radio station), Fisher Mills decided to sell scones at the 1915 World’s Fair in San Francisco.
That’s right: Fisher scones got their start at a World’s Fair!
Incidentally, Washington resident William Paulhamus and his son were two of the people to taste these first scones in San Francisco. Paulhamus was one of the founders of the Puyallup Fair, and he wanted these scones to be part of it. Upon his return to Washington, he called the Fisher family and pitched the idea, enticing them with offers of free jam (from Paulhamus’ own canning company) to put on the scones.
The Fisher family agreed, and they have been selling their scones from the same triangle-shaped booth ever since. In fact, over 100 million scones have sold over the last 107 years!
Fisher Mills has since sold to Conifer Foods and, in addition to selling scones at fairs, offers a variety of baking mixes like the one pictured above. These mixes can be found on the Fisher scones website, and at many area grocery stores.
After 90 years of operations, the original Fisher Flour Mill on Harbor Island ceased operations and sold to Pendleton Flour Mills. Pendleton Mills operated the site for only a year before closing the mill in 2002 and selling it to King County.
For years, the complex sat abandoned and deteriorating, but in 2021 parts of it reopened as a film production facility called Harbor Island Studios. The facility features two sound stages, among other filmmaking amenities– not a bad new life for a 110-year-old building! You can check out images of its abandoned state here.
I’ll catch you next week for yet another space-age recipe!
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