Old North Church and Historic Site Receives Mars Grant

The Old North Church & Historic Site announced it has received a $13,000 grant as one of the recipients of the Mars Wrigley Confectionery US, LLC Forrest E. Mars, Jr. Chocolate History Research Grant. Winners were announced this past week at the 14th Annual banquet dinner of the Heritage Chocolate Society held at the Kennedy Center in Washington D.C.

Old North received a $13,000 grant to research the life of Captain Newark Jackson, Old North parishioner and North End chocolate mill owner, and colonial cacao trade routes. This research will enable Old North Church & Historic Site to enhance the visitor experience at its historic chocolate shop named after Captain Jackson through the creation of an archive, a written history of Captain Jackson and a young-adult comic book, which will allow visitors to explore Captain Jackson’s life, murder and the colonial chocolate trade.  “This research will allow us to further explore the history of chocolate, commerce and race and ultimately create a better experience for visitors to our site,” said Steve Ayres Old North Foundation Executive Director.

These projects will likely take a few years to complete, but there’s no shortage of fun for visitors to the site today. Captain Jackson’s Historic Chocolate shop takes visitors back in time with costumed interpreters demonstrating colonial chocolate making, providing samples of authentic colonial drinking chocolate and sharing the story of Captain Jackson’s connection to the Old North Church and the chocolate trade. Discover and taste colonial chocolate at Captain Jackson’s Historic Chocolate Shop, open Friday to Sunday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Captain Jackson’s Historic Chocolate Shop opened in 2013, Captain Jackson’s Historic Chocolate Shop is one of two living history exhibits at Old North Church & Historic Site. Visitors can see colonial chocolate demonstrations, learn about real-life Old North Church parishioner and North End chocolate mill owner Captain Newark Jackson, the colonial chocolate trade and sample colonial drinking chocolate made with American Heritage® chocolate.

For more information visit: http://oldnorth.com/captainjacksons/