Gouverneur's Lifesaver

What is the Giant Lifesaver Anyway?

Drive through downtown Gouverneur and you can't miss a large replica of a package of Pep-O-Mint Lifesavers in the park on Main Street. One of five such tubes in existance today, it was erected by the Gouverneur Rotary Club on November 10, 1987 to honor the founder of the Lifesavers company and native of Gouverneur, Edward John Noble. Pep-O-Mint, the company's first lifesaver flavor, was promoted by Noble after he purchased the idea from it's inventor, Clarence Crane of Cleveland, Ohio for $2,900. in 1913. Noble had the hole added to the candy in case a child might swallow the morsel. The hole in the center would still allow the child to breathe.

Devising a way to wrap the candy in tinfoil to preserve freshness, Noble later established the first Lifesaver factory in Port Chester, NY. Now with Lifesaver factories in four countries, the candy has become an American icon and a multimillion dollar business.

Mr. Noble started a Foundation that has made many other contributions to the North Country. These include hospitals, medical centers, libraries, and Boldt Castle in the Thousand Islands. Buy a roll of Lifesavers and have your picture taken under the roll while you are in Gouverneur, and why not choose the world's favorite flavor - Pep-O-Mint.