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ALWAYS SHIPPED Fresh FOR YOU

Original Murdick's Fudge

Mackinac Island, Michigan

Choose Delicious Original Murdick’s Fudge
Always Shipped Fresh For You

CUSTOM ORDER QUESTIONS? CALL US: (906) 298-0630

We ship fudge and gift boxes anywhere in the U.S. and Canada.

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ABOUT US

— The Back Story —

What do you get when you mix sail-making expertise with confectionery skills?
One great Northern Michigan fudge business that has stayed the course
for more than 128 years.
1880s – 1910s
In 1887, father-and-son sail makers, Henry and Jerome “Rome” Murdick, were commissioned to create canvas awnings for the new Grand Hotel on Mackinac Island.

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“The Grand” would eventually contribute in a huge way to making the Mackinac region a center of booming tourism.

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With the Murdicks’ arrival to the island came Mrs. Henry Murdick (Sara) and her exquisite confectionery skills and recipes.

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In 1887, Mackinac Island’s first candy shop opened as Murdick’s Candy Kitchen. Henry Murdick continued to make sails in the back of the building, while up front, Rome crafted fudge using his mother’s recipe. The renowned marble table gave the fudge a unique texture and also provided a veritable “stage” on which to show visitors how fudge is made.

Rome’s oldest son, Gould, soon mastered the skills of fudge making. However, World War I impacted sugar rationing, bringing many fudge businesses to a halt on Mackinac Island.

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1920s – 1940s
In 1920, Rome and Gould revitalized fudge making and their “show.” They added music and large ceiling fans so the sweet aroma of fudge would waft into the street. Other families opened fudge shops as well during this time, as the temperate climate conditions on the island are conducive to fudge making. But with the Great Depression in 1929, all closed, except Murdick’s Candy Kitchen.

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Post-Depression business became even more challenging (on some days, Gould sold only one pound of fudge!). Gould sold the business to Harold May in 1940 (Gould agreed that the Murdick family would not compete in the candy business on Mackinac Island for ten years.)

1950s – 1960s
Jerome Murdick, Gould’s half-brother, opened Murdick’s Luncheonette on the island in 1957. When the non-compete clause expired, Jerome began to sell fudge at the luncheonette and eventually converted his business into Murdick’s Candy Kitchen, using the name of his great grandfather’s (Henry Murdick) original shop. Jerome continued the family fudge-making tradition using the original recipe. Each summer, Jerome and his wife, Grace, ran the Main Street business (the couple lived in the back of their shop).

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Meanwhile, young entrepreneur Bob Benser, Sr. arrived to the island in 1955. Bob built and ran a Tastee Freeze ice cream shop next to Murdick’s Candy Kitchen. Jerome and Grace treated Bob like the son they never had. When Jerome became ill, Bob stepped in to help Grace keep the business open. He learned about how to make fudge, exact cooking and shaping temperatures and the all-important fudge-paddle movements. After leasing and operating the business, Bob Benser, Sr. bought the Murdicks’ business in 1969.

— Today —

The company still follows Sara Murdick’s recipe and the old-fashioned fudge-making techniques that have been passed down through the generations. Original Murdick’s Fudge has expanded to other locations on Mackinac Island as well as in Mackinaw City and St. Ignace, Michigan, in addition to three stores and a bakery in Martha’s Vineyard, Massachusetts. Bob Benser, Sr. and Bob Benser, Jr. continue that tradition today along with the entire Benser family.

Murdicks Fudge
Through the generations, Murdick’s Fudge on Mackinac Island has been recognized as an iconic Michigan favorite.

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ORIGINAL

— Recipe —

ORIGINAL

— Gift —

Select a box of our handmade old-fashioned fudge, brittle, caramel corn or toffee.

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carriage

About MACKINAC ISLAND

About-Mackinac-Island

Covering 3.8 square miles, Mackinac Island is located in Lake Huron at the eastern end of the Straits of Mackinac, between Michigan’s Lower and Upper Peninsula. It is only accessible by ferry or plane. • The island was home to Native American settlements before European exploration began in the 1600s. It also was a key site for the Great Lakes Fur Trade and was home to Fort Mackinac, built by the British during the American Revolutionary War. It was the scene of two battles during the War of 1812. In the late 19th century, the island became a popular tourist destination and summer colony, and that popularity gets stronger by the summer.

 

The entire island is listed as a National Historic Landmark. Battle sites, historic buildings, the fort, and dozens of additional diversions, including Original Murdick’s Fudge, entertain visitors.

 

Because automobiles were banned from the village in 1898, and from the park in 1901, on-island transit is by foot, horse, carriage and bicycle.

Handmade for all

ON YOUR LIST!

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Contact Information

Original Murdick’s Fudge
7363 Main St., Mackinac Island, MI 49757
customerservice@originalmurdicksfudge.com
Phone: (906) 298-0630

WEDDINGS & EVENTS

For Wedding Favors and SweetBar options, contact our Sweets Consultant Laura Andrews at:
laura@originalmurdicksfudge.com

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