On July 7, 1928, the world saw a small but transformative innovation: pre-sliced bread was sold for the first time by the Chillicothe Baking Company in Missouri. This breakthrough was made possible by a machine invented by Otto Frederick Rohwedder, who spent years developing a bread-slicing device that would revolutionize the baking industry. His machine not only sliced the bread into even pieces but also efficiently wrapped it, keeping it fresh.
Initially marketed as “Kleen Maid” sliced bread, the product quickly gained popularity. By 1933, around 80% of bread sold in the U.S. was pre-sliced, giving rise to the well-known expression, “the greatest thing since sliced bread.” This simple innovation dramatically changed household habits, making sandwiches and toast more convenient, and remains a symbol of ingenuity to this day.
Children and home of migratory cotton workers at a camp in the southern San Joaquin Valley, California, was taken by Dorothea Lange in November 1936 for the Farm Security Ad
