Presidents love ice cream! Click photos for captions.
The Scoop on National Ice Cream Day!
By Ashley Dorf, National Archives intern
Happy National Ice Cream Day! President Reagan declared July National Ice Cream Month and July 15 (the third Sunday in July) National Ice Cream Day in 1984. Here are some sweet documents from our holdings.
Patent file for ice cream confection known as “Eskimo Pie.” (NARA ID 1404539) This is the January 1922 patent of the now-iconic Eskimo Pie, an ice cream bar covered in chocolate. It was invented by Christian K. Nelson and the patent was co-assigned to Russell Stover.
Good Humor Truck. (NARA ID 5916725) Harry B. Burt created the Good Humor Bar, a chocolate-covered ice cream bar on a stick. To grow his business, he operated this Good Humor Truck that circulated until the 1970s.
“Good Humor” Ice Cream Suckers Ad (NARA ID 5916723) This Good Humor ad served as evidence in Good Humor Corporation of America v. The Popsicle Corporation of the United States and Joe Lowe Corporation. It was generally understood that Good Humor and Popsicle were distinct products. In 1925, the companies reached a licensing agreement that stated Popsicle could make products under 4.5 percent butter fat as a form of sherbet, although that term had no official definition. When Popsicle made a “Milk Popsicle” in 1931 containing 4.48 percent butter fat, Good Humor sued. Who won the heated competition? Find out in Prologue.
