Summer has always been time for Popsicles.
Believe it or not, this popular frozen treat really was invented by a kid. One night in 1905, 11-year old Frank Epperson of California mixed some flavoring powder in water with a fork and left it outside (fork and all) overnight by mistake. It froze, but Frank ate it anyway.
For the next 17 years, Frank made them for himself and eventually, his kids. But in 1922, Epperson sold some at a fireman’s ball in San Francisco. They were a big hit. Frank then started selling them at the Neptune Beach amusement park in Alameda, California.
Unfortunately, Frank wasn’t much of a businessman. While the treat was popular, Frank’s personal finances were shaky. In 1925, he sold the rights to the Popsicle to the Joe Lowe Company of New York. Lowe quickly took the regional treat national.
The Fudgsicle was added in 1946. The origins of the Creamsicle are a bit more confused. No one seems to know how the treat was created or when it was first marketed.
A true Baby Boomer also remembers something called a Dreamsicle that you could also find in the freezer section of your corner drug store. But do you know the difference between a Dreamsicle and a Creamsicle?
The Creamsicle features ice milk inside the Popsicle coating while a Dreamsicle featured ice cream. One other difference: you can still find Creamsicles at grocery stores and ice cream trucks, The Dreamsicle has passed away into history. Pleasant dreams, indeed.
