Character of the Week: The Morton Salt Girl

The Morton Salt Girl

In 1848 a new salt merchant company called Richmond & Company, Agents for Onondaga Salt, was formed in Chicago.  Over the next few years, the company grew and became a manufacturer as well as a merchant of salt.  In 1899, the name was changed to Joy Morton & Company after the man who acquired a major interest in the business.  After further expansion, the name was again changed, and the Morton Salt Company was incorporated in 1910.

The company offered table salt and several bulk salt grades for industry and farming.  In 1911 the Morton Salt Company began to add Magnesium Carbonate, an anti-caking agent, to the table salt to prevent it from sticking together and getting clumpy.  To celebrate the new formula, the salt company decided to start a new advertising campaign.

In 1911, the Morton Salt Girl was created to be the advertising icon for the company.  The little girl was shown holding an umbrella as she walked in the rain, and underneath her arm she carried a Morton Salt cylindrical container with a patented spout.  The salt fell behind her as she walked, demonstrating the fact that even when it was rainy, the salt still poured.  The original slogan that went along with the little girl was “Even in rainy weather, it flows freely.” This was a little too long, so it was shortened to “When it rains, it pours.” She made her advertising debut in “Good Housekeeping” magazine advertisements, and since then she has appeared in countless print ads and television commercials.

In 1914, the Morton Salt Girl first appeared on the Morton table salt container with her slogan.  About once a decade, the little girl’s image was updated.  First in the 1920s with a change of dress, then in the 1930s, another dress change to keep up with the times. In the 1940s, she was given pigtails and a yellow dress with socks to match.  In the 1950s, her umbrella was changed to yellow, and another wardrobe update took place.  In the 1960s, the Morton Salt Girl took on a more modern look.  Her hair was shortened to a bob, and her high-waisted dress and matching shoes reflected the mod fashion of the times. Since the 1960s there have been no more appearance changes for the little girl, but her classic look has carried her through the decades. The little girl who first appeared on table salt containers now graces the packaging of every product the Morton Salt Company manufactures.

Over the years, the Morton Salt Company has continuously expanded, creating new products to fill the needs of the times, from iodized salt for goiter prevention to rock salt and diet salt substitutes. The company has also expanded from Chicago to other plants and mines in the United States and Morton even has salt operations in the Bahamas and Quebec, Canada.  In 1999, the Morton Salt Company was acquired by Rohm and Haas, but the salt products are still sold under the Morton name.

No matter how many changes have occurred with the company, one thing has remained the same. The little girl with the umbrella marches on through the rain, demonstrating the anti-clump properties of Morton Salt, and remains one of America’s best-known advertising icons.

If you like the Morton Salt Girl as much as we do, check out our website for collectibles and merchandise featuring the adorable little girl.