Historical Chesnuts

Gibble’s 1976 Commemorative Tin

How could I let 2026 go by without a Semiquincentennial post? In honor of the 250th, let’s take a look at a relic from the last great birthday, 50 years ago in 1976.

Gibble’s is something of a iconic brand for Franklin County and Pennsylvania at large, a state known for its snack foods. Located along Route 11 between Chambersburg and Greencastle, the company remains an important employer in the area.

Gibble’s advertised this 1-pound potato chip “cannister” in the July 15 and September 4, 1976 Public Opinion. Although the price stamp of $2.89 remains partially visible on the lid, the tin sold for $1.89 and later $1.69 at Mrs. Gibble’s Candies, another iconic local business that closed for the last time just a few weeks ago.

The canister tells several stories: the Bicentennial, local industry, food culture, currency inflation, product shrinkflation. When I was a child, potato chips could still be found in a cardboard bucket–the last vestige of the once-common canister.

Every 50-year national anniversary since at least the 1876 Centennial inspired a growing body of official and unofficial merchandise. A selection of objects including the Gibble’s tin feature in a series of digital companion programs to the Shippensburg Fashion Archives & Museum’s 2026 live exhibit, “Happy Birthday! American Milestones from Lafayette to Today.”