The 1998 Spittoon Debate in the Lincoln home.

[L Verge]

I'm with Eva on this one. We have a spittoon at Surratt House, but it is displayed in the tavern, as would have been appropriate. We use it in our interpretation since we also display plugs of tobacco on the bar shelves and a plug cutter. We reference the use of the spittoon for spitting contests during fun-filled, crowded days at the old bar. With school groups, some of us suggest that teachers hold spitting contests during inside recess (similar to spelling bees, if they still have them - which I doubt). For some reason, the teachers don't seem interested...

P.S. Some old bars of the late-1800s had spitting troughs that ran the length of the counter for convenient use. There used to be one in Baltimore, which had water running through it to clear the spittle.

I question whether or not a home that did not have a tobacco user (or obnoxious spitter) would have had a spittoon available for their guests. From what I can gather, while spittoons go back centuries, the widespread use of them as home receptacles does not. I found reference to the first mass-produced spittoons coming via England after Francis Schmitton began his industry there in 1846. How fast did they make it across to widespread use in America? BTW, some pundits coined the phrase "Schpittons" from the logo that the entrepreneur stamped on his wares. Most other sources refer to them becoming fixtures in all sorts of American public places from the mid-1800s through 1930. Would the Lincolns have provided them for guests in Springfield? I have my doubts.

In case Mary did want to accommodate her guests, I would think she'd place the spittoon outside at the home's entrance with the hint to empty one's mouth before entering -- just like sand containers today invite cigarette users to "snuff it." I found a similar reference to this dating to the 1300s, when Catholic churches had spittoons at the entrance doors to advise the serfs to spit the dust and dirt from the fields before entering.

The references to the spittoon's beginnings in the U.S. go back to the southwest portions of our country and are linked to the cowboys, who not only chewed, but constantly dealt with winds and dust gathering in their mouths. Saloons were obvious places for relaxation and entertainment - and spitting on the floors. Even with the invention of the mop, saloon keepers tired of cleaning up the mess (which was a safety concern). Spittoons became a welcome addition that spread to other public places also.

This was especially true after the Civil War. I tend to think that it was the later Victorian era that brought spittoons into the middle-class and upper-class homes (even Tiffany & Co manufactured them). There are references to spitting sheets that were placed on the bare floor or over carpeting as well as being tacked to walls behind the vessel to catch what didn't make it in.

I even got a little green around the gills when I read about a group (20th-century, I believe) called the Salivation Army. Supposedly, they came out during the holidays dressed as Santa Claus and holding a red vessel in which the passerby was encouraged to spit. The contents were then fermented for thirty days with dairy additives and sold as eggnog.

Time to stop, Laurie...