This replication of Norris' father's storefront is the entrance to the Kool-Aid exhibit at the Hastings Museum. Source — Hastings Museum.

Born in 1889, Edwin Perkins would grow to become the inventor and promoter of Kool-Aid — an affordable and favorite drink of children nationwide.

At age 11, Edwin Perkins was working at his father's store in the village of Hendley, Nebraska when his childhood friend and future wife, Kitty Shoemaker, introduced him to a powder product called Jell-O. He too wanted to make pre-packaged food, sparking his career.

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This module was funded in part by the Cooper Foundation, Abel Foundation, and the Nebraska Humanities Council.