Sweet Beginnings: A Scoop of Ice Cream History in Ithaca

Ithaca, New York—known for its intellectual vigor and natural beauty—also holds a delightfully sweet place in the history of American desserts. Beyond the Finger Lakes region’s celebrated wine and dairy production, Ithaca boasts a rich connection to ice cream that dates back over a century.

The city’s most famous contribution to frozen treats is the invention of the ice cream sundae. On Sunday afternoon, April 3, 1892, following services at the Unitarian Church, Reverend John M. Scott stopped by the Platt & Colt Pharmacy in downtown Ithaca. Shop proprietor Chester C. Platt served bowls of vanilla ice cream topped with cherry syrup and a candied cherry. Inspired, the men named the creation the “Cherry Sunday” to honor the day it was made. This dessert became a local favorite, and by October of that year, advertisements for the “Cherry Sunday” were already appearing in the Ithaca Daily Journal—making Ithaca the first documented home of the ice cream sundae. (1)

Ithaca Daily Journal, October 5 1892

The 1920s and '30s saw a boom in local dairies, including the Cornell Dairy, which began producing ice cream as part of its teaching and research mission. Cornell students studying food science and agriculture experimented with new pasteurization and flavor infusion techniques that would eventually influence regional standards. According to university archives, some of the earliest known recipes for Cornell Dairy ice cream date to 1927, when students began testing butterfat ratios in campus kitchens. (2)

In 1936, Leo and Sylvia Guentert launched Purity Ice Cream. A Cornell graduate, Leo was driven by a belief that he could craft a better chocolate ice cream—he did, and more. “The Ice Cream of the Finger Lakes” became a cherished part of Ithaca’s culinary landscape. The Purity factory, built in 1953 on the corner of Meadow and Cascadilla Streets, still stands as a local institution, scooping nostalgia with every cone. (3)

Today, Ithaca’s ice cream heritage lives on not only in longtime favorites like Purity Ice Cream, but in new traditions that celebrate our frosty claim to fame. That’s why The History Center in Tompkins County is excited to announce the first-ever Sundae Showdown, a scoop-tacular event held in the city that started it all.

Sundae Showdown – April 20th, 1–4pm, Ithaca Downtown Conference Center

This delicious competition invites sundae lovers from across the country to submit their most iconic sundae recipes for a chance at ice cream immortality. Finalist recipes—selected by celebrity judges—will be recreated by the Ithaca Downtown Conference Center’s culinary team for the public to taste and vote on. Tickets include samples of each finalist sundae, a voting ballot, and an ice cream tasting passport.

From the Cherry Sunday of 1892 to the bold new flavor combinations of 2025, Ithaca continues to be a place where dessert history is not only preserved—but made. Don’t miss your chance to create your own legacy in the Home of the Ice Cream Sundae.

Tickets and recipe submission: www.sundaeshowdown.com

References:

1. “The History of the Ice Cream Sundae,” What's Cooking America, accessed April 2025, https://whatscookingamerica.net/history/icecream/sundae.htm.

2. Cornell University Library. “Cornell Dairy Records, 1925–1935.” Rare Manuscript Collections, Ithaca, NY.

3. Mark H. Anbinder, “Happy Birthday, Purity Ice Cream!” 14850 Dining, March 9, 2018, https://www.14850.com/030918783-purity-ice-cream-birthday/.
   
   

Press Release: Join The History Center for the first "Sundae Showdown"

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Ben Sandberg

Phone: (510) 292-0414

Email: director@thehistorycenter.net

Calling All Ice Cream Enthusiasts: Join The History Center for the first "Sundae Showdown" in the home of the Ice Cream Sundae.

Sundae Showdown – April 20th, 1pm – 4pm.

ITHACA, NY - The History Center in Tompkins County is excited to invite all ice cream aficionados to help us crown the best ice cream sundae in the home of the ice cream sundae. This delectable event offers two ways to get involved: (1) submit your signature sundae recipe for a chance at ice cream immortality, or (2) purchase tickets to taste and vote on finalist creations.

Create Your Legacy

Do you have a sundae recipe that makes tastebuds sing? The History Center is accepting sundae submissions from individuals, businesses, and industry representatives nationwide. A panel of celebrity judges will select 8-10 finalist recipes to be recreated by the Ithaca Downtown Conference Center's culinary team for the main event.

Recipe submission is open now through April 9th. Visit www.sundaeshowdown.com and click "Submit Your Sundae Recipe" to enter your creation into this scoop-tacular competition.

Taste History

The Sundae Showdown main event will be held at the Ithaca Downtown Conference Center on April 20th, from 1pm – 4pm. Attendees will sample all finalist sundaes and cast their votes to crown a champion.

All tickets include samples of each finalist sundae and an ice cream tasting passport. Purchase tickets at www.sundaeshowdown.com by clicking. All proceeds from the Sundae Showdown support preserving Tompkins County history, including protecting Ithaca’s rightful claim as home of the Ice Cream Sundae.

About The History Center in Tompkins County

The History Center in Tompkins County, located in downtown Ithaca, serves as the custodian of over 200,000 individual items of local and regional significance that chronicle our community's rich history. Each year, we connect more than 15,000 people to their shared past through our archives, research library, exhibit hall, and public programming. The History Center in Tompkins County promotes local history through stewardship of our collections and by engaging with the community to understand the past, to gain perspective on the present, and to play an informed role in shaping the future.

A Conversation With the Tang Family: Photo Gallery

Many thanks for the community members who came out to celebrate Jean and King Tang, former owners of “Asiatic Garden.” They are continuing to work with the History Center to preserve their family history. They wish to honor their ancestors, their community, and the generations to come after with their work.

Reviewing “Enterprising Families: Ithaca, New York”

Written by Jennifer Amarachi Anebere, Student Docent

Often recognized for its prestigious universities and stunning natural landscapes, Ithaca, New York has a deeply rooted and yet frequently overlooked history of business and entrepreneurship that has come to shape the town’s development over the centuries. Enterprising Families Ithaca, New York by Carol U. Sisler further explores this history, emphasizing that the importance of these business endeavors does not lie solely in their economic impact, but also in the families behind these enterprises, more importantly, their visions, resilience, and lasting influence on the community. This book serves as both a historical record and a glimpse into the entrepreneurial spirit of Ithaca’s past, offering readers a compelling look at the intersection of industry, architecture, and familial legacy.

Sisler’s work meticulously traces the development of Ithaca’s economy through the lens of its most influential families. From industrial pioneers to real estate moguls, each chapter highlights a family’s contribution to the city’s growth. Through detailed descriptions and archival images, the book brings to life the homes they built and the businesses they ran, many of which are still standing in Ithaca to this day. Sisler does not merely document facts but instead crafts a narrative that intertwines personal ambition with the broader economic forces at play in Ithaca during the early 19th and late 20th centuries.

From the Van Cleefs and Tremans to the better-known Sages and Cornells, Sisler highlights the entrepreneurial legacies that helped shape Ithaca’s economic and social landscape. These families were not merely business owners but visionaries whose investments in industry, education, and civic development left a lasting imprint on the town. Whether through banking, manufacturing, real estate, or philanthropy, their influence extended beyond their enterprises, fostering Ithaca’s growth as a hub of innovation and progress. Their homes and businesses serve as physical reminders of their ambition and impact. Sisler’s work not only traces the economic and entrepreneurial history of Ithaca but also captures the deeper essence of the homes and spaces these families built. She goes beyond bricks and mortar, revealing how these residences served as extensions of their owners’ ambitions, values, and legacies. Through vivid descriptions and archival materials, the book brings to life the atmosphere of these homes, illustrating how they were not just physical structures but living testaments to the people who shaped them.

“The Residence of Susan Linn and Henry W. Sage on E. State St.

The emphasis on the character of a home unfolds from the very first page where readers are presented with a poignant and moving excerpt taken from the 1885 eulogy of Susan Linn Sage presented by local minister Henry Ward Beecher. He explains that though Sage is no longer on earth bodily, her presence has not been diminished as her influence will forever endure in everything that she has built and left. Beecher claimed that: “No artist could ever draw so many pictures as she has left behind, for there is no artist like memory and imagination inspired by love. There is no part of this dwelling where there will not be felt the influence which her presence has given.” He highlights a certain sentimentality that continually proves to ring true as so much of human history has been kept alive through memory and remembrance. When one dies, they leave in body and yet remain in spirit, in object, in memory, and in all that they leave behind, an idea central to towns as historically impactful as Ithaca.

Take, for example, the home of Jennie McGraw-Fiske, adorned with numerous statues and paintings she collected during her travels throughout Europe. Reminiscent of a French château, her home was filled with artwork from Greece, Iceland, and Berlin, each piece reflecting not just her refined taste but also the depth of her experiences and aspirations. More than just a display of wealth, the carefully curated space told a richer story, one that extended far beyond the life that she presented outwardly, instead revealing the essence of a woman shaped by culture, intellect, and an appreciation for beauty.

New Exhibit: Puppet Mastery of the Northeast and Beyond

The History Center is tucked into the Tompkins County Center for History and Culture, just behind the atrium. But for the next few months, we'll be spilling out into the atrium with a larger-than-life display featuring puppets from Ithaca and beyond. They're suspended from the ceiling, delicately arranged in transparent cases, and posed for the spotlight.

A parade puppet of Mother Earth hangs in one corner of the Atrium. Her arms are outstretched and her hair is immaculate.  In the central display case, there are marionettes complete with moving lips and dancing shoes. In front of the window is a selection of felted puppets from Lilypad Puppet Theater, Ithaca's local puppet arts non-profit. These are just some of the whimsical and intense pieces filling the space. 

Image shared by Becky Dewitt, Volunteer Docent

The exhibit will be on display throughout May, 2025, and you can visit whenever the History Center in Tompkins County is open, Wednesday-Saturday, 10 a.m. - 6 p.m. We'll be closed throughout the month of January to reset the primary exhibit hall. 

This exhibit was curated by TJ Jacobs, puppeteer, artist, and founder of Basically Good Puppet Theater. 

This exhibit is made possible in part by a grant from the Cook/Marks Fund. The grant also extended support for the creation of a puppet collection at The History Center in Tompkins County, significantly contributing to the preservation of our local and regional puppet history in Central New York.

So often, what happens to be preserved is a happenstance of financial resources, awareness, and luck. Visionaries like puppeteer and collector Alan Cook and philanthropist Jacqueline Marks recognize the absence of funding for important work like preservation, cataloguing, and conservation; thanks to their generosity, through a donor-advised fund at the California Community Foundation we are able to bring members of our community together to create and then steward a legacy of Tompkins County puppetry for future generations. It is our sincere hope that long into the future, our community can be delighted and thrilled by the incredible local legacy of puppetry. 

Cook/Marks Fund Facebook Link: https://www.facebook.com/CookMarksFund/