A Passion for Popsicles: 13 Fun Facts

Popsicles are a reminder, to most Americans, of childhood and a tasty way to beat the heat. (Image courtesy of sxc.hu)

For most Americans, popsicles are a reminder of the sweet summer days of their childhood when they built forts in the yard, rode bikes with their friends, and could always count on Mom to have a stash of Popsicles in the freezer.  Everyone had their favorite flavor and the key was not to have the same favorite as one of your friends or siblings, so you never had to fight over who got the last cherry Popsicle.  Here in Arizona, we get to enjoy them all year round and come August, when the temperatures are high, they are the perfect treat to help beat the heat.

National Cherry Popsicle Day is August 26^th, fitting since cherry is America’s favorite Popsicle flavor.  Stock up on these sweet treats and share a little walk down memory lane with your kids or grandkids as you share a twin Popsicle.  To get you ready for a fun celebration of this All American ice cold delight, here are 13 Fun Facts about the Popsicle.

1. Originally invented by an 11 year old boy named Frank Epperson in 1905.
2. Epperson accidentally left a cup of homemade soda on the porch overnight.  When he woke up the next morning, the soda was frozen around the stirring stick.  He realized it was a neat treat and called it the Epsicle.
3. The first customers to buy Epsicles were Epperson’s classmates.
4. In 1923, he renamed his treat the Popsicle and patented his product.  Some stories claim he chose the new name because his kids were always asking him to make them “Pop’s Sicles”.  Other stories claim it was to let consumers know that the treat was made from soda pop.
5. Popsicles were originally marketed as “a frozen drink on a stick”.
6. 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.
7. The most popular Popsicle flavor is Cherry.
8. The original Ice Cream Truck Driver was a man in Nebraska with a horse cart who went around selling Popsicles to children.
9. During the Second World War, an air force unit chose the Popsicle as one of the symbols of America and American life.
10. Popsicle sticks are made from birch wood and are popular in their own right, often sold by the box for use in craft projects.
11. The dual Popsicle featuring two sticks and one Popsicle that could be split in half was introduced during the Great Depression as a way to split the treat across two children for the same cost.
12. More than two billion Popsicles are sold each year.
13. A character called Popsicle Pete was introduced on the Buck Rogers in the 25^th Century radio show in 1939 and was featured in ads, commercials, and other items well into the 1990’s.

We always love to hear from our Arizona Farm Bureau members and Fill Your Plate blog readers. What is your favorite flavor Popsicle? Share your favorite homemade Popsicle recipes with us. We’re always looking to add to Fill Your Plate recipes!

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