Popsicle's – Popular for Generations

A true summer treat for generations is the Popsicle. Using ice to have cool drinks and desserts has been done for centuries. But looking back at 1905 there was a young boy named Frank Epperson who lived in Oakland, Calif. One cold day he mixed water and soda powder and mixed it with a wooden stirring stick. He did forget it and it stayed outside on his porch overnight. He saw now the wooden stick was now frozen in the water and he now had a special treat. He at age 11, started making the treats for other neighborhood residents and sold for a nickel. He named it ‘Epsicle’.

It would be 1923 the boy, now a man, patented his frozen treat on a stick and renamed it ‘Pops Sicles’. It was marketed as a drink on a stick. Years later needing money, he had to sell the rights to his popsicles to Joe Lowe Co. Under this new company the popsicle became popular nationwide in the 1930s. Double popsicles were put together in the 1930s and still sold for a nickel.

The Good Humor Co. who produced ice cream on a stick covered in chocolate and the Lowe Co., were purchased by Unilever Co. and could produce 2 billion popsicles a year. The most popular favor is cherry.

Now you know all your ancestors from the 1920 onward had to have a popsicle or two.

Photo: The Nickel Popsicle.

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