Columbus in Bartholomew County, Indiana — The American Midwest (Great Lakes)
Cerealine Manufacturing Company
Photographed By Rebecca Speaker, August 4, 2013
1. Ceraline Manufacturing Company Marker
In late 1800’s railroads and new technology opened national markets to Midwest producers, including Indiana, a leader in corn products. Joseph Gent patented operations and devices to mass-produce flaked corn. Gaff, Gent, & Thomas Co. Began making Cerealine flakes here circa 1880. A precursor to cold breakfast cereal, it was also used as a malt alternative by brewers.
Company moved to Indianapolis, 1892, to take advantage of lower freight cost. The mill paid high prices to Indiana Farmers for white corn and by 1898 processed 12,000 bushels daily. A wave of mergers swept U.S. Industry at the turn of the twentieth century; Cerealine joined nine midwestern mills in 1902 to form American Hominy Co., which continued business into 1920s.
Erected 2013 by Indiana Historical Bureau and Joseph Hart Chapter, Daughters of the American Revolution. (Marker Number 03.2013.1.)
Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Agriculture • Industry & Commerce. In addition, it is included in the Daughters of the American Revolution, and the Indiana Historical Bureau Markers series lists.
Location. 39° 12.303′ N, 85° 55.367′ W. Marker is in Columbus, Indiana
this page online
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. Veterans of All Wars (approx. ¼ mile away); Bartholomew County Vietnam War Memorial (approx. ¼ mile away); World War I Honor Roll & Veterans Memorial (approx. 0.3 miles away); Bartholomew County W.W. I - Veterans Memorial (approx. 0.3 miles away); Bartholomew County Revolutionary War Honor Roll (approx. 0.3 miles away); Bartholomew County Courthouse (approx. 0.3 miles away); Bartholomew County Veterans Memorial (approx. 0.3 miles away); Our Pioneer Heritage / Bartholomew County Historical Society / McEwen-Samuels-Marr House (approx. 0.3 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Columbus.
Also see . . . Wikipedia entry for Cerealine. Excerpt:
White-corn cerealine flakes as a breakfast cereal were invented, perhaps accidentally, by Columbus, Indiana, mill worker James Vannoy circa 1884 or 1887. Vannoy’s 1902 obituary said he found through experimentation a way to run the milled grain through rollers so that it would come out “in thin layers or flakes. He went to his employer, Joseph F. Gent, with(Submitted on September 27, 2022.)the discovery. Gent rather disregarded the wonderful discovery and told Vannoy that he had better been tending to his duties. Later, Gent had the discovery patented, and it was not long until Cerealine was on the market and was being sold in large quantities.”Photographed By J. J. Prats, September 19, 20222. Cerealine Manufacturing Co. Marker, side two
Photographed By J. J. Prats, September 19, 2022
3. The Cerealine Building, a part of the Cummins Inc. headquarters in Columbus, Indiana
Photographed By Rebecca Speaker, August 4, 2013
4. Cerealine Building, a part of the Cummins Inc. headquarters in Columbus, Indiana
(Public Domain) via Wikimedia Commons, circa 1907
5. Ad for Toasted Cerealine Flakes
Credits. This page was last revised on January 6, 2024. It was originally submitted on February 16, 2021, by Rebecca Speaker of Columbus, Indiana. This page has been viewed 447 times since then and 80 times this year. Last updated on January 1, 2024, by J.T. Lambrou of New Boston, Michigan. Photos: 1. submitted on February 16, 2021, by Rebecca Speaker of Columbus, Indiana. 2, 3. submitted on September 27, 2022, by J. J. Prats of Powell, Ohio. 4. submitted on February 16, 2021, by Rebecca Speaker of Columbus, Indiana. 5. submitted on September 27, 2022, by J. J. Prats of Powell, Ohio. • J. Makali Bruton was the editor who published this page.
