History of Ice Cream Sundae

History of Ice Cream Sundae 

Two cities lay claim to creating the original ice cream sundae:

A little background history:
Some historians claim, but never proven to be true, that the name “ ice-cream sundae ” was created in reply to the “ Blue Laws ” which said that ice rink cream pop could not be sold on Sundays because they were to “ frilly. ” For some reason the “ righteous ” identical much against what they called “ sucking pop ” ( particularly on the Sabbath and the clergy started preaching against them ). The cup of tea has gone by other names at respective time, most notably “ sundi ” and “ sondhi. ” Some accounts have explained all these names as attempts to avoid offending the sensibilities of the devoutly religious, which might take a dense see of a voltaic pile of frosting cream and syrup being named after the Sabbath .
The biggest competition is between Two Rivers, Wisconsin and Ithaca, New York. This quarrel dates back from the 1970s with letters and barbs between the mayors of these cities. This is decidedly serious clientele and a matter of pride for these towns. The two cities have sparred in a good-natured “ Sundae War ” for several decades.

H. L. Mencken ( 1880-1956 ), famed newspaper columnist, political observer, and essayist, in his 1945 book, The american lyric : accessory 1, while writing on the suffix “ DAE ” as in ice-cream sundae, wrote that the “ most plausible of their theories ascribes the initiation of the ‘ ice-cream sundae ’ itself to George Hallauer of Marshall, Illinois, and the invention of its name to George Giffy of Manitowoc, Wisconsin. ” Mencken version was so well received that some sources placid cite it as a possible etymological beginning for the word “ sundae. ” Mencken claimed Wisconsin ice-cream sundae origins predated all others. Mencken ’ mho name and the plausibility of his stories have kept them alive, and still believed by many, to this day. Mencken was barely reporting something that had been told in Two Rivers ( and elsewhere ) for decades anterior to his book .
true or False ? Author Michael Turback, who wrote A Month of Sundaes : Ithaca ’ s Gift to the World and More Than a Month of Sundae, says the Two Rivers narrative, vitamin a well as one about Manitowoc, were bandied about by the recently journalist H. L. Mencken, who reported on the matter in the first gear volume of “ The american Language, ” published in 1919, but former admitted it was a fraud. He just said Mencken was known for pulling hoaxes .

1881 – Two Rivers, Wisconsin:

Two Rivers, Wisconsin claims that the first ice cream sundae was served by accident in 1881.  Druggist Edward Berners (1863-1939), owner of Ed Berners’ Ice Cream Parlor was asked by a George Hallauer asked for a ice cream soda.  Because it was Sunday, the Sabbath, Mr. Berners compromised and put ice cream in a dish and poured the chocolate syrup on top (chocolate syrup was only used for making flavored ice cream sodas at the time).  Ed Berners sampled the dish and liked it enough to begin featuring “ice cream with syrup” in his shop for the same price as a dish of ice cream.  This ice cream concoction cost a nickel, and soon everybody wanted some.
Two Rivers, Wisconsin claims that the first internal-combustion engine cream ice-cream sundae was served by accident in 1881. Druggist Edward Berners ( 1863-1939 ), owner of Ed Berners ’ Ice Cream Parlor was asked by a George Hallauer asked for a ice skim sodium carbonate. Because it was Sunday, the Sabbath, Mr. Berners compromised and put ice cream in a dish and poured the chocolate syrup on acme ( chocolate syrup was only used for making season ice rink cream sodium carbonate at the time ). Ed Berners sampled the dish and liked it enough to begin featuring “ ice cream with syrup ” in his shop for the same monetary value as a dish of ice cream. This ice cream confection cost a nickel, and soon everybody wanted some. The alone reference book to support Two Rivers ’ claim is a 1929 Two Rivers Reporter newspaper interview by Seymour Althen in which Edward Berners recounts his 40-year-old recollection of how the ice-cream sundae came about :
“ One night, Hallauer dropped in and ordered a dish of ice cream. As I was serving it, he spied a bottle of cocoa syrup on the back bar, which I used for making sodas. ‘ Why preceptor ’ t you put some of that chocolate on the ice cream ? ‘ ” he asked .
“ ‘ You don ’ thyroxine want to ruin the relish of the ice skim, ’ I protested, but Hallauer answered ‘ I ’ ll try anything once, ’ and I poured on the chocolate. Hallauer liked it, and the methamphetamine skim ice-cream sundae was born. ”

Here is a questio north : Wisconsin give birth records indicate Edward Berners was only 18 years old in 1881. It was improbable than an 18 class old would have been the owner of a ice cream parlor. Ed Berners ’ obituary in the La Crosse Tribune and Leader-Press newspaper on Sunday Morning, July 2, 1939 reads :
Fond du Lac, wisconsin – ( AP ) – E. C. Berner, 76, of Two Rivers, who claimed to be the originator of the ice skim ice-cream sundae, died Saturday at the home plate of a sister, Mrs. Albert Pilon, where he had lived for the last two months .
Edward Berners closed his methamphetamine cream living room in 1927. today, the Washington House Hotel Museum in Two Rivers includes a replica of Ed Berner ’ mho ice cream living room .
The Wisconsin State Historical Society recognizes Two Rivers, Wisconsin as the birthplace of the ice-cream sundae and in 1973 erected a diachronic marker in Two Rivers Central Memorial Park that reads :
ICE CREAM SUNDAE – In 1881, George Hallauer asked Edward C. Berner, the owner of a pop fountain at 1404 – 15th Street, to top a cup of tea of ice cream with chocolate sauce, so far used lone for frosting cream pop. The concoction monetary value a nickel and soon became identical popular, but was sold alone on Sundays. One day a ten-spot year previous female child insisted she have a cup of tea of ice cream “ with that stuff on circus tent, ” saying they could “ pretend it was Sunday. ” After that, the confect was sold every day in many flavors. It lost its Sunday only association, to be called ICE CREAM SUNDAE when a glassware salesman placed an holy order with his party for the long canoe-shaped dishes in which it was served, as “ Sundae dishes. ”

In 2006, the town of Two Rivers responded to Ithaca with a resolution demanding that Ithace “cease and desist from it’s claim:

2006 City Council Resolution
RESOLUTION FORMALLY CHALLENGING THE CITY OF ITHACA, NEW YORK’S CLAIM TO BE
“BIRTHPLACE OF THE ICE CREAM SUNDAE” 
Whereas, Ed Berners invented the ice cream ice-cream sundae at his Two Rivers soda spring in 1881 ; and
Whereas, this historic accomplishment has resulted in our community being known far and wide as the “ Birthplace of the Ice Cream Sundae ; ” and
Whereas, this condition has been recognized by the State Historical Society of Wisconsin, whose State Historic Marker in Two Rivers Central Park proudly proclaims this community as “ Birthplace of the Ice Cream Sundae ; ” and
Whereas, it is only suit and proper that the “ coolest city ” in America ’ mho Dairyland be afforded sole possession of this title ; and
Whereas, other, lesser-known communities, including Evanston, Illinois, Buffalo, New York, Baltimore, Maryland, Ithaca, New York and even neighboring Manitowoc, Wisconsin, have from time to time sought to claim this title ; and
Whereas, in keeping with modern concepts of municipal government and external relations, Two Rivers holds to the impression that it is entirely allow to launch a “ preemptive strike ” when any such community tries to assert its inauthentic claim to be the birthplace of this iconic american english sweet ; and
Whereas, it has recently come to our care that Ithaca, New York, not contented with just promoting its status as home to one of America ’ s big universities, in the Finger Lakes region of beautiful upstate New York, has once again dusted off its claim to be “ Birthplace of the Ice Cream Sundae ; ” and
Whereas, this latest undertake to legitimize such revisionist history has as its centerpiece a “ Month of Sundaes ” forwarding being plotted by operatives within the Ithaca/Tompkins County Visitor and Convention Bureau ; and
Whereas, Ithaca ’ s experience with ice cream ice-cream sundae is of relatively holocene vintage, dating to Chester Platt ’ sulfur lying of a cherry ice-cream sundae at his drug memory pop fountain in 1892, a full eleven years after Ed Berners ’ ice-cream sundae began broadening children ’ mho smiles and adults ’ waistlines in our community on the prop up of Lake Michigan ;

now, consequently, be it resolved, that the City of Two Rivers re-asserts its condition as Birthplace of the Ice Cream Sundae ; and
Be it further resolved, that the City of Ithaca is hereby directed to cease and desist from its continue claims of being “ Birthplace of the Ice Cream Sundae, ” lest the City of Two Rivers be forced to take far action to set the diachronic record neat ; and
Be it far resolved that the thoroughly citizens of Ithaca are urged to henceforth conduct their energies to more appropriate pursuits, like cheering on the athletic teams of Cornell University and celebrating the smasher of the Finger Lakes Region, while leaving ice cream ice-cream sundae to the town that knows them best : Two Rivers, Wisconsin ;
Be it promote resolved that copies of this resolution be forwarded immediately to Mayor Carolyn Peterson and the Common Council of the City of Ithaca, arsenic good as to the dining table and staff of the Ithaca/Tompkins County Visitor and Convention Bureau, to advise them of the stupidity of their endeavor, along with earnest best wishes from the citizens of “ The Coolest City in Wisconsin ” —and Birthplace of the Ice Cream Sundae—Two Rivers .
Dated this 19th day of June, 2006 .

1892 – Ithaca, New York:

Ithaca, New York also claims to be the birthplace of the ice cream sundae in 1892.  Reportedly, Sunday afternoon, April 3,1892, after services at the Unitarian Church, Reverend John M. Scott paid his usual visit to the Platt & Colt Pharmacy in downtown Ithaca.  Shop proprietor, Chester C. Platt (1869-1934), was church treasurer and he met often with Scott for conversation after services.  Seeking refreshment for himself and the reverend,  Platt asked his fountain clerk, DeForest Christiance, for two bowls of ice cream.  But instead of serving the reverend plain vanilla, Platt took the bowls and topped each with cherry syrup and a candied cherry.  The finished dish looked delightful and tasted delicious — so much so that the men felt obliged to name the new creation.  After some debate, Scott suggested that it be named for the day it was created.  Platt concurred and the first “Cherry Sunday”was born.
Ithaca, New York besides claims to be the birthplace of the ice cream ice-cream sundae in 1892. reportedly, Sunday afternoon, April 3,1892, after services at the unitarian Church, Reverend John M. Scott paid his usual inflict to the Platt & Colt Pharmacy in downtown Ithaca. Shop owner, Chester C. Platt ( 1869-1934 ), was church treasurer and he met frequently with Scott for conversation after services. Seeking refreshment for himself and the reverend, Platt asked his spring clerk, DeForest Christiance, for two roll of internal-combustion engine cream. But alternatively of serving the reverend plain vanilla, Platt took the bowl and topped each with cherry syrup and a candied cerise. The finish up cup of tea looked delightful and tasted delicious — so a lot so that the men felt obliged to name the modern universe. After some argue, Scott suggested that it be named for the day it was created. Platt concurred and the beginning “ Cherry Sunday ” was born. photograph of Chester C. Platt – From the archives of the National Park Service ’ s Morristown National Historic Park in New Jersey
Ithaca has extensive documentation supporting the ice-cream sundae ’ s creation in its ’ town in 1892. The information is thus specific, the city can about pinpoint the claim hour the first internal-combustion engine cream “ Sunday ” was served. While other cities may claim the ice-cream sundae, none can support its call with chief attest. This gives Ithaca claim to the foremost document ice cream ice-cream sundae in the United States .
Two Ithaca high gear school seniors, Meredith Buchberg and Laura Willemsen, spent 6 months working as Corson Fellow interns at The History Center in Tompkins County in 2007, researching on-line data bases and physical archives to discover the “ Sundae Truth. ” They researched and uncovered the below data to back up Ithaca ’ sulfur claim as “ The Birthplace of the Sundae. ”
This ad in the Ithaca Daily Journal dates Platt & Colt ’ s “ Sunday ” back at least to October 5, 1892. This ad in the Ithaca Daily Journal is the oldest know record of an frosting skim ice-cream sundae :

Discovered in 2007 in the archives of Cornell University ’ s Kroch Library, the original daybook books from the Platt & Colt drugstore prove that Chester Platt was indeed selling methamphetamine cream in the early 1890s and had the necessity supplies on hand to create the inaugural ice-cream sundae. The ledgers besides confirm DeForest Christiance ’ s title that he was an employee of Platt & Colt when the ice-cream sundae was created .

note : When going through Platt & Colt ’ s ledger books, the researchers found that Deforest Christiance got a raise two weeks after they started selling ice-cream sundae. His wage went from $ 2 week to $ 4.50. Christiance must have saved his money. He finally bought the business and ran it through the 1920s. Chester Platt moved into politics and became a reformer in the NY Democratic Party. He later became a newspaper editor .

Letter from Platt & Colt clerk DeForest Christiance to John G. Brooks, May 25, 1936:

In the 1930s, possibly as a reprieve from other Depression-era news, numerous newspaper articles appeared debating the origins of the ice-cream sundae. Former Platt & Colt patronize clerk DeForest Christiance weighed in on the national argue with this letter to the city ’ s resident historian, John Brooks. This document, rediscovered in 2007 in the Archives of The History Center in Tompkins County, forms the basis of Ithaca ’ s fib. It ’ s a colorful narrative, but without corroborating evidence, it ’ mho hardly definitive .

Letter from Washington, D.C. patent attorney William G. Henderson to Platt & Colt Pharmacy, March 23, 1894:
Discovered in 2007 in the archives of Cornell University ’ s Kroch Library, this letter confirms that Platt & Colt ’ randomness frost skim “ Sunday ” dates to at least 1894 and by that time, had gained enough popularity for its creators to seek trademark protection. The attempt proved bootless, federal brand protection didn ’ t extend to domestic department of commerce at the clock. Interesting to note, lawyer Henderson didn ’ thyroxine indicate any familiarity with the impression of an ice cream ice-cream sundae. But within 10 years, ice-cream sundae would be served at sodium carbonate fountains nationally .

Late 1800s – Evanston, Illinois:

The town of Evanston, Illinois claims to have originated the mention or phrase – ice cream ice-cream sundae. They do not claim to have been the originator of the ice-cream sundae. Evanston, Illinois ( then know as Chicago ’ s Heaven or Heavenston ) was one of the foremost towns to outlaw the “ Sunday Soda Menace. ” Evanston was a identical nonindulgent religious town where the Sabbath was rigorously observed. The town even passed an ordinance prohibiting the retail of ice rink cream pop on Sunday. According to sources published in Evanston, the ice-cream sundae originated at Garwoods ’ Drugstore. In order for people to continue getting their ice cream treat, some creative person turned it into a ice-cream sundae rather. They did not serve frost cream sodium carbonate. They served sodas without sodium carbonate on Sunday. The Evanston Women ’ randomness Christian Temperance Union ( WCTU ) championed it as a pleasant option to alcoholic drinks. Mr. Richard Lloyd Jones, early editor program and publisher of the Tulsa Tribune, wrote the following in an article he wrote one the history of the ice cream ice-cream sundae :

. .. There are at least half a twelve communities in America that claim the Sundae as their own ; another celebrated etymology traces the internal-combustion engine cream ice-cream sundae to Ithaca, New York. But Evanstonians would like to believe the discussion belongs to them. The Evanston Review once wrote : “ While Ithaca may have had the ice-cream sundae arsenic early on as 1897, as the chamber of commerce there claims, it obviously got there by two means. Either some Northwestern student brought it home with him or a Cornell student from Evanston took it there. ’


What would a sundae be without the tradition Maraschino Cherry?  Learn about the history of the maraschino cherry.  Also maraschino cherry myths and facts.