Ice cream sundaes are a staple of the American dessert diet. What you may not know, is that they have been around for 124 years. Strangely, their origin is somewhat of a mystery. However, their birthplace can be narrowed down to three states: New York, Wisconsin, or Illinois.

The ice cream sundae started out as an easily affordable luxury item during The Great Depression. They were also used to celebrate the end of WWII. The sundae generally consists of multiple scoops of ice cream, chocolate syrup, and a maraschino cherry on top. However, there is not universal agreement on where this tasty treat started.

In 1881, a customer at an ice cream shop in Wisconsin ordered ice cream with chocolate syrup and cream flavored soda. The owner also tasted the dish, liked it and began serving it as a regular menu item. A nearly identical situation happened in New York in 1892.

In 1890 in Evanston, Illinois, the culture was strongly religious, and the town outlawed the selling of sodas on Sundays. After that, a local soda fountain, Garwoods’ Drugstore, started to sell ice cream sodas, just without the soda. Only the ice cream and syrup remained. Because of this, the town of Evanston claims ownership of the ice cream sundae name.

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