Williamson Candy Company

1917–1975 Chicago, IL Great Lakes Brand Continues (original company gone)
Candy Bar
No image on file for this brand

History

The Williamson Candy Company was established in Chicago in 1917. In 1920 it introduced Oh Henry! — a bar of fudge, caramel, and peanuts enrobed in chocolate — which predated Baby Ruth by one year and Snickers by a decade, making it one of the first multi-component candy bars of the modern era. The bar's origin story is Chicago candy legend: a young man named Henry supposedly visited the Williamson factory so often to flirt with the women workers that they began shouting 'Oh, Henry!' when he arrived. By the late 1920s the company occupied a large factory at 4701 W. Armitage Avenue. The Williamson Company eventually reorganized as General Candy Corporation. Oh Henry! now belongs to Ferrara Candy Company.

Products

  • Oh Henry! (1920)

Candy Pages

  • Oh Henry! 1920 · still produced · Candy Bar

    A combination candy bar with layers of fudge, caramel, and peanuts enrobed in milk chocolate — one of the first multi-component candy bars in American history.

Notable Firsts

  • Oh Henry! (1920) — one of the earliest multi-component combination candy bars, predating Baby Ruth and Snickers

What Happened

Reorganized as General Candy Corp.; Oh Henry! now owned by Ferrara Candy

Sources

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