Philadelphia Cream Cheese is from New York

Not Invented in Philadelphia

One of the tidbits we learned this summer:  Philadelphia Cream Cheese originated in New York, not PA.

The first American cream cheese was made in Chester, New York --- which is located in the Hudson Valley, west of West Point on Rt. 94.   In 1872, American dairyman, William Lawrence, invented it, as the result of an unsuccessful attempt he had made to create a batch of Neufchâtel cheese. 

In 1880, 'Philadelphia' was adopted as the brand name, after the city that was considered at the time to be the home of top quality food.