Today’s history of the bizarre takes us back to March 26th, 1804.
Picture attending a large party is a large room in a building being used to house the United States Senate. The agricultural abundance of the United States is being celebrated.
You spot the remnants of a 1,200 pound hunk of cheese on a table in the corner. That cheese was gifted to President Thomas Jefferson in 1801 and it took 3 years to eat it all!
Now President Jefferson walks in the room. A Navy baker follows and wheels an enormous loaf of bread to the center of the room.
The still large amount of cheese is brought to the bread. A huge pile of roast beef is also carted in. Finally, plenty of alcohol is delivered (perhaps a mix of whiskey, wine, and ale?).
President Jefferson steps up, pulls out his pocket knife, and cuts the first slice from this gargantuan loaf! The party commences!
According to written accounts, the shindig devolved into a loud, drunken gathering. They should recreate this party and maybe everyone would get along better!
I don’t think they’d let anyone bring a pocket knife into the Senate, though…
Learn more about this odd piece of history here:
https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/jefferson-presented-with-a-mammoth-loaf-of-bread