On this day in 1924, Charles Palmer — a key figure in shaping the Palmer Candy Company into a Midwest confectionery mainstay — passed away.
The company’s story began in 1878, when Edward C. Palmer moved to Sioux City, Iowa, and opened a wholesale grocery business that included candy and fruit among its offerings. By the turn of the century, his sons William and Charles Palmer were instrumental in expanding the family enterprise. In 1900, they moved operations into a modern four-story factory on Douglas Street, complete with cold storage and advanced candy-making equipment — cutting-edge technology for the era.
Charles Palmer managed the fruit side of the business from a new building behind the main factory, while the family steadily increased candy production. In 1914, the Palmers formally split the two operations, incorporating Palmer Candy Company as its own entity. William and his son Edward Charles Palmer Sr. led the candy business, steering it toward creating unique confectionery products that would appeal to growing local and regional markets.
By the 1920s, Palmer Candy had introduced the Bing candy bar — a treat that would eventually become the famous Twin Bing, now synonymous with Iowa’s sweet tooth.
Over the decades, the company expanded strategically, acquiring Soo Candy Company in 1941 and the Johnson Biscuit Candy division in 1956. These moves helped Palmer Candy remain a beloved regional brand despite competition from national confectionery giants. Even today, the company’s commitment to handmade quality and distinctive flavors keeps its legacy alive — a testament to the vision Charles Palmer helped set in motion more than a century ago.
