Frozen desserts have been enjoyed for millennia. Ancient Roman slaves were sent up into the mountains to retrieve blocks of ice, to be crushed and served with fruit and spice syrups. Medieval Venetial explorer Marco Polo enjoyed sorbets and ices when he traveled to the Chinese court of Kublai Khan. And in the early history of the United States, Thomas Jefferson entertained many visitors to Monticello with iced sorbets and freezes.
Fast forward to 1905, when an 11-year-old boy named Frank Epperson of Oakland, California had an accidental epiphany after he inadvertently left a glass—filled with water, powdered soda mix and a wooden stick for stirring—outside overnight. When young Frank found the glass in the morning, the soda mixture was frozen solid, so he ran the glass under hot water and removed the ice pop using the stick as a handle. Frank, who knew he'd stumbled across a great idea, kept making the pops for his friends—and when he became an adult, he made them for his own children.
In 1923, Epperson filed for a patent for his invention. Up until then, he had been calling the frozen treats “Eppsicles,” but his children insisted on calling them “Pop’s ‘sicles.” The latter name stuck and the Popsicle was born.
The frozen treat was an immediate success, especially after Epperson partnered with the Joe Lowe Co., which helped to distribute them at entertainment sites like Brooklyn’s Coney Island amusem*nt park. The first Popsicles sold for just five cents and came in seven flavors (including cherry, which is still the most popular).
Just a few years after the dessert debuted, the double-stick Popsicle was introduced. It was at the height of the Depression, and the single pop with two sticks allowed two hungry children to share a pop easily, for the same price as a single.
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FAQs
The year was 1905, and an 11-year-old boy named Frank Epperson left a stirring stick in a glass full of soda powder and water on his back porch overnight. To his amazement, he awoke the next morning to find his drink frozen like an icicle, transformed into a delicious treat.
What is the story behind Popsicle? ›
1905: A Happy Accident & Instant Favorite
After a long day of play, Frank went inside, but left his cup of soda with the stirring stick still in it out on his porch. Left out overnight, the soda froze like an icicle! Curious, Frank gave the frozen soda a try - and whoa! popsicles were created.
What is the history of the freeze pop? ›
Epperson claimed to have first created an ice pop in 1905, at the age of 11, when he accidentally left a glass of powdered lemonade soda and water with a mixing stick in it on his porch during a cold night, a story still printed on the back of Popsicle treat boxes.
Were popsicles invented by an 11 year old in 1905? ›
The ever-popular hot weather treat known as the Popsicle™ was invented by Frank Epperson when he was just eleven years old. Born in 1894, Epperson was raised in San Francisco. One winter night in 1905, he mixed a soft drink made with soda water powder and water – a popular concoction at the time.
Were popsicles invented accidentally by a child 11 year old frank epperson? ›
In 1905, an 11-year-old kid invented the Popsicle right here in the Bay. How it happened: Frank Epperson was playing in his Oakland neighborhood when he accidentally left on the porch a cup of soda with the stirring stick still in it. The drop in temperature overnight led the soda to freeze like an icicle.
What is a fun fact about the Popsicle? ›
Popsicles were invented by an 11-year-old
Frank Epperson mixed powdered soda pop with water and left it on his front porch one winter day in 1905. The next day he found the thing that would become the modern-day popsicle. He was selling them the next day around his neighborhood and patented them 19 years later.
What is the Popsicle stick theory? ›
This discussion technique ensures that all students have an equal opportunity to participate and share their responses in class. The randomness of drawing a student's name using the Popsicle Sticks method also helps with classroom management.
Why did Frank Epperson invent the Popsicle? ›
Filing the patent on June 11, 1924, Epperson explains in the document that the point of his invention was to create a frozen treat that was of "attractive appearance" that could be "conveniently consumed without contamination by contact with the hand... in thoroughly sanitary manner." Describing how to make a Popsicle ...
What was the original Popsicle flavor? ›
Popsicles were originally marketed as “a frozen drink on a stick”. Popsicles originally came in seven flavors thought to be root beer, cherry, lemon, orange, banana, grape, and watermelon, but there is no official record of Epperson's original flavors.
Why are popsicles still popular after 100 years? ›
Popsicles are still popular over 100 years after they were invented for several reasons. First, they are a refreshing treat, especially during hot weather. Second, they come in a wide variety of flavors, appealing to people of all ages. Third, popsicles are easy to enjoy on the go and are a convenient snack option.
The next time you pop a Popsicle in your mouth, think about this: You're enjoying the fruits of an 11-year-old entrepreneur's labor. Back in 1905, a San Francisco Bay Area kid by the name of Frank Epperson accidentally invented the summertime treat.
Which US snack was accidentally created and later patented when it became super popular? ›
To his surprise, the customer loved the thin and crunchy potato slices, and thus, potato chips were born. As the snack gained popularity, George Crum decided to patent his invention, which he called "Saratoga Chips," in 1865.
Why was there a feud between the Lowe Co. and Good Humor? ›
A series of lawsuits ensued with the court ultimately deciding that the Lowe Company had the right to sell frozen treats made from water while Good Humor could continue to sell its “ice cream pops.” Neither side was particularly pleased with the decision.
Why are popsicles shaped like that? ›
Frank began to freeze the popsicles quickly, instead of waiting for them to harden over time, which allows the ingredients to settle. He also began to freeze them in long cylinders, giving them their iconic shape.
