Dining Etiquette in the Late 19th Century
Dining Etiquette in the Late 19th Century and at the Hoover-Minthorn House Museum
By Nolan Rettig and Karen Swank
The most important part of a late 19th century dinner party was, by far, the planning put into it. As with any dinner party, menus were planned with care and the home, especially the dining room, would be perfectly displayed for the guests’ arrivals. A great deal of emphasis was also placed on inviting guests of similar backgrounds, so that they understood each other and the necessary social etiquette. Everything from the food being served to the layout of the table depended on the invitees.
The picture to the right is a proper dining table setting on display at the Hoover-Minthorn House Museum. The descendants of a man named Joel Palmer state that this table came to Oregon via Cape Horn and was in the Palmer home at Dayton Ore. in the early 1950’s and was used continuously by the family until recent years. Burt Brown Barker, who created the museum and obtained much of the furniture for the museum, purchased this table on June 21, 1954 for $100. Close to the left of this picture, you may notice a napkin ring with a rooster on it. This napkin ring belonged to the Minthorns’ daughter, Tennessee, whose name is engraved on it.


Once all guests had arrived, cards would be placed at each meal spot for everyone to sit at, with gentlemen being expected to escort ladies to the table. This would normally be the lady’s husband, but it would be uncontroversial for a relative or friend to do the honor, provided that it was decided in advance who it would be. These social interactions could be more complex than we are used to today. A Victorian-era etiquette book displayed at the Hoover-Minthorn House Museum illuminates the many ways in which guests could offend the hosts if they were not educated on dining party etiquette.
A typical dinner setup is represented in a closeup of the previous picture to the left, with the plates, silverware and goblets set face down. It is quite different from table settings that we typically see at home or restaurants today.
Salt cellars (small receptacles that salt was sprinkled from) were reserved for more formal gatherings but salt shakers were still an acceptable addition to a late 19th century dinner. Unlike modern dining setups, silverware was kept separate from the napkin, with the latter being set on the plate for guests to more readily apply it to their lap or collar before eating. It was also customary for the host (or a clergyman if present) to deliver a prayer before eating, with prayer books being published in service to that end.

The picture on the top right is of one of these salt cellars. The bottom picture is a prayer book that may have typically been seen at table setting. The hoover-Minthorn House Museum was a Quaker home, and we have a Bible in every bedroom, in the parlor, and this prayer book at the table to be in alignment with their emphasis on their religion.
