The history of ice cream and ice cream creation according to history records goes back to the first
century where it was thought to be made into snow cones or ice cones. Although not true ice cream, this
was the beginning of a long history of the icy treat and set the pace for its inception. Towards the turn of
the 20th century, Ice cream manufacturing changed dramatically. In the mid 1850’s a man by the name
of Jacob Fussell of Baltimore, Maryland became the first person to produce ice cream on a large scale.
At first he began purchasing dairy products from farmers however, battling an unstable market he was
left with a surplus of cream. With this cream he began producing ice cream. His first ice cream factory
was established in 1851 in Seven Valleys Pennsylvania. Within a few short years he bought more
factories which help produce ice cream in mass production thereby reducing the price and increasing
demand.
Prior to Jacob Fusel’s contribution to the ice cream business and formation, ice cream was mostly a
luxury for the well off and not available to mainstream society. It was however made with cream and
was true ice cream, recorded to have made its appearance in 1718. The earliest recorded reference
was made in 1744 in the Oxfords English Dictionary. It should be noted that the first ice cream cranked
freezer was first patented on September 9,18943. The exact origin of the hand-cranked freezer is
unknown, however the first U.S. patent for one was #3254 issued to Nancy Johnson.
On my research of ice cream I came across some incredible facts about the treat and its creation as
well as its role in modern society. Thanks to the ingenuity of people like Jacob Fusel’s and Nancy
Johnson, ice cream today has become an affordable luxury in cultures around the world. Today ice cream
is mass produced and sold in all areas of the world. It has and will remain a common household item in
many families in our societies for centuries to come.
