The Legacy of Inga Allison

Inga Allison was a pioneer in the field of high-altitude baking, and her research and experiments paved the way for bakers to produce high-quality baked goods at high altitudes. She was born in 1876 in Illinois and attended the University of Chicago, where she completed the prestigious “science course” work that heavily influenced her career trajectory. Her studies and research also set the stage for her belief that women’s education was more than preparation for domestic life. A Trailblazer

In 1908, Allison was hired as a faculty member in home economics at Colorado Agricultural College, which is now CSU. She joined a group of faculty that was beginning to study the effects of altitude on baking and crop growth. The department was located inside Guggenheim Hall, a building that was constructed for home economics education but lacked lab equipment or serious research materials. Allison took both the land grant mission of the university with its focus on teaching, research and extension and her particular charge to prepare women for the future seriously. She urged her students to engage with the physical, biological and social sciences to understand the larger context for home economics work. The Need for High-Altitude Research

News articles from the early 1900s track Allison giving lectures like “The Economic Side of Natural Living” to the Colorado Health Club and talks on domestic science to ladies clubs and at schools across Colorado. One of her talks in 1910 focused on the art of dishwashing. Allison became the home economics department chair in 1910 and eventually dean. In this leadership role, she urged then-CSU President Charles Lory to fund lab materials for the home economics department. It took nineteen years for this dream to come to fruition. In the meantime, Allison collaborated with Lory, who gave her access to lab equipment in the physics department. She pieced together equipment to conduct research on the relationship between cooking foods in water and atmospheric pressure, but systematic control of heat, temperature and pressure was difficult to achieve. Finding Solutions

She sought other ways to conduct high-altitude experiments and traveled across Colorado, where she worked with students to test baking recipes in varied conditions, including at 11,797 feet in a shelter house on Fall River Road near Estes Park. But Allison realized that recipes baked at 5,000 feet in Fort Collins and Denver simply didn’t work in higher altitudes. Little advancement in baking methods occurred until 1927, when the first altitude baking lab in the nation was constructed at CSU thanks to Allison’s research. The results were tangible — and tasty — as public dissemination of altitude-specific baking practices began. A 1932 Bulletin on Baking at Altitude

A 1932 bulletin on baking at altitude offers hundreds of formulas for success at heights ranging from 4,000 feet to over 11,000 feet. Its author, Marjorie Peterson, a home economics staffer at the Colorado Experiment Station, credits Allison for her constructive suggestions and support in the development of the booklet. Science of High-Altitude Baking

As a senior food scientist in a mountain state, one of us – Caitlin Clark – advises bakers on how to adjust their recipes to compensate for altitude. Thanks to Allison’s research, bakers at high altitude today can anticipate how the lower air pressure will affect their recipes and compensate by making small adjustments. Key Principles

Here are some key principles that bakers should follow when baking at high altitudes:

1. Reduce the amount of sugar in recipes to prevent over-concentration of sugars and fats in the recipe
2. Increase the amount of liquid in recipes to prevent over-concentration of sugars and fats in the recipe
3. Use less leavening agents like baking soda or baking powder to prevent dough from rising too quickly

A Lasting Legacy

Inga Allison was one of many groundbreaking women in the early twentieth century who actively supported higher education for women and advanced research in science, politics, humanities and education in Colorado. Others included Grace Espy-Patton, a professor of English and sociology at CSU from 1885 to 1896, who founded an early feminist journal and was the first woman to register to vote in Fort Collins. Miriam Palmer was an aphid specialist and master illustrator whose work crafting hyper-realistic wax apples in the early 1900s allowed farmers to confirm rediscovery of the lost Colorado Orange apple, a fruit that has been successfully propagated in recent years. A Final Tribute

In 1945, Allison retired as both an emerita professor and emerita dean at CSU. She immediately stepped into the role of student and took classes in Russian and biochemistry. In the fall of 1958, CSU opened a new dormitory for women that was named Allison Hall in her honor. “I had supposed that such a thing happened only to the very rich or the very dead,” Allison told reporters at the dedication ceremony. The High-Altitude Baking Lab

The first altitude baking lab in the nation was constructed at CSU thanks to Allison’s research. The lab was equipped with state-of-the-art equipment to measure and analyze the effects of altitude on baking. A New Era

With the construction of the altitude baking lab, a new era of high-altitude baking began. Bakers at high altitude could finally produce high-quality baked goods with confidence. The Impact on Baking

Allison’s research and experiments had a profound impact on baking at high altitude. Her findings and formulas provided bakers with the tools they needed to produce high-quality baked goods at high altitudes. The Legacy of Inga Allison

Inga Allison’s legacy is a testament to the power of science and research in improving our daily lives. Her work on high-altitude baking paved the way for bakers to produce high-quality baked goods at high altitudes. A Lasting Legacy

The exhibit “Knowing Her” highlights the contributions of women like Inga Allison to the development of home economics education. The exhibit will be on display through mid-August in the CSU Fort Collins campus Morgan Library. Conclusion

Inga Allison was a trailblazer in the field of high-altitude baking. Her research and experiments paved the way for bakers to produce high-quality baked goods at high altitudes. Her legacy continues to inspire bakers today. The exhibit “Knowing Her” is a testament to the contributions of women like Inga Allison to the development of home economics education. A Final Tribute

As we reflect on Inga Allison’s legacy, we remember her groundbreaking work on high-altitude baking and her contributions to the development of home economics education. We honor her memory by continuing to bake and share her legacy with others. A Legacy that Lives On

Inga Allison’s legacy lives on in the world of baking. Her work on high-altitude baking continues to inspire bakers today. Her impact on baking at high altitude is still felt today. Her formulas and findings provided bakers with the tools they needed to produce high-quality baked goods at high altitudes. A Final Tribute

Inga Allison was a true pioneer in the field of high-altitude baking. Her legacy will continue to inspire bakers for generations to come.