On Neponset's banks, this taste of history semisweet
Though the fragrance of chocolate has long since faded and the mill has become residences and stores, many Dorchester residents still recall the presence of the Baker's Chocolate factory in their Lower Mills neighborhood.
''People who grew up in that area will still tell you they remember the smell of chocolate in the air," Brian LeMay, executive director of the Bostonian Society, said of the factory, which closed in 1965.
LeMay, along with representatives from the city, the Dorchester Historical Society, and
The mill opened on Adams Street in 1765, and in 1780, co-founder James Baker took over the business, changing its name from Hannon's Best Chocolate, after his former partner, to Baker's Chocolate Co.
The company claims to be the first trademarked brand of chocolate and one of the oldest trademarked brands in general in the country, enduring through several Baker family members and name changes over the years.
The packaging also became a trademark. The profile of La Belle Chocolatiere has adorned Baker's Chocolate packages for 122 years.
''La Belle has really been a symbol of Baker's chocolate back to the early days of the business," said Marshall Lauck, brand manager for baking and canning for Baker's Chocolate, now based in Canada and part of Kraft Foods. Lauck said there have been no plans to remove this symbol since the Baker Co. was acquired by the Postum Co. in 1927, which then became General Foods and finally Kraft in 1989.
The plaque will relate the company's history. One of only about 140 sites with a similar marking provided by the Bostonian Society, the Baker mill will join the likes of the Custom House site, the site of Malcolm X's house, and the Liberty Tree site.
For LeMay, it will mark the first historical site commemorated since he began his tenure at the historical society six months ago.
''This was an important part of a significant neighborhood of Boston of which we don't want to be neglectful," LeMay said. ''The history of Boston does not just include the central part of the city and Colonial sites, but the various neighborhoods that make up the city of Boston, and Dorchester is among the more important of them."
In addition to the plaque ceremony, other events and ideas are in the works for the company's anniversary year. A guided walking tour will be offered June 18 of the Baker Complex and the Lower Mills area, and in the fall, the Bostonian Society will launch an online exhibition detailing the history of the company.
The company is also planning to unveil chocolate recipes made specifically for the anniversary year that will be printed in a Baker's Chocolate cookbook.
The plaque ceremony will be held Tuesday at 2 p.m. at the former mill site at 1231 Adams St. in Dorchester.
