The Story of Sliced Bread’s Invention in Chillicothe

Mural in Chillicothe, MO. Courtesy http://www.homeofslicedbread.com/.

In the world of everyday innovations, few have had the staying power—or cultural impact—of sliced bread. And it all began in the small town of Chillicothe, Missouri, about an hour and a half northeast of downtown Kansas City.

On July 7, 1928, the Chillicothe Baking Company became the first bakery in the world to sell pre-sliced loaves of bread to the public. The machine behind this transformation was the invention of Otto Frederick Rohwedder, a jeweler-turned-inventor from Iowa. His bread-slicing machine had faced early setbacks, including the destruction of his original prototype and design plans in a factory fire in 1917. Despite the loss and his own declining health, Rohwedder rebuilt his invention and continued looking for a bakery willing to give it a try.

Otto Rohwedder, a jeweler-turned-inventor from Iowa.

That opportunity came when Rohwedder partnered with Frank Bench, owner of the Chillicothe Baking Company. Bench’s bakery, located near the railroad depot at First and Elm Streets, was struggling at the time. Still, he agreed to test the new machine. Together, they placed an ad in the Chillicothe Constitution-Tribune announcing “the greatest forward step in the baking industry since bread was wrapped.” The following day, July 7, sliced Kleen Maid bread hit the shelves—and changed the industry forever.

The response was immediate. Within two weeks, sales at Bench’s bakery soared by 2,000%. The concept of uniformly sliced, conveniently wrapped loaves quickly caught on, paving the way for commercial brands like Wonder Bread, which launched its own pre-sliced loaves just two years later in 1930.

Early slicer prototype. Courtesy http://www.homeofslicedbread.com/

Rohwedder’s invention also helped popularize the automatic pop-up toaster, and by the early 1940s, sliced bread had become a staple of American kitchens. So essential, in fact, that when the U.S. government briefly banned pre-sliced bread during World War II to conserve resources, public outcry was swift. The ban was lifted in less than two months.

Smithsonian Institution, National Museum of American History, History of Technology Collection.

Although neither Bench nor Rohwedder became wealthy from their innovation, their contribution reshaped how people prepared and consumed one of the world’s most basic foods. Bench’s bakery eventually closed during the Great Depression, and Rohwedder sold the rights to his invention. Still, their story was preserved thanks to a rediscovery decades later by local journalist Catherine Stortz Ripley, who stumbled upon a 1928 newspaper clipping while researching Chillicothe’s history.

Smithsonian Institution, National Museum of American History, History of Technology Collection.

Today, Chillicothe embraces its unique legacy with pride. The town celebrates Sliced Bread Day every summer, now an official holiday in Missouri, and the old bakery building has been transformed into the Sliced Bread Innovation Center. Visitors can also explore bread slicing exhibits at the Grand River Historical Society Museum and see one of Rohwedder’s original machines on display.

What was once nearly forgotten is now commemorated as one of the most iconic food innovations in American history—and it all started in a small Missouri town with a big idea.