Kids of all ages adore the super-sugary frozen treat known as Popsicle and they have for years. But did you know that the teeth-staining concoction was first invented – albeit by accident – by an 11 year old? It’s true! In 1905, Frank Epperson left a cup of powdered soda and water outside with the wooden stick he had been using for stirring left in the cup. Sure enough, the mixture froze overnight and the Popsicle was born. Of course, it wasn’t called the Popsicle right away.

For years, Epperson’s discovery was called the Ep-sicle in honor of his last name. As he got older, however, his kids were always asking for “Pop’s ‘sicle” thus the new name came to be. Epperson’s “frozen ice on a stick” received a patent in 1924, and the next year he sold his product to the Joe Lowe Company in New York. Before long, a flavor sensation had taken the nation by storm, and many Popsicle ads featured a little girl with very roaring ’20s-esque bobbed hair.

Then came the Great Depression, and, though money was scarce, kids still loved their Popsicles. That’s when the Twin Popsicle entered the picture. With two sticks and twice as much frozen fun, kids could get two treats for the price of one. Of course, the idea was that kids would share the fruity goodness – but can you really blame them if they didn’t?

The end of the ’30s saw the birth of Popsicle Pete, a comic book character who took off in 1939 in All-American Comics #6 (September 1939). Popsicle Pete replaced the little girl with bobbed hair as Popsicle’s main spokesperson, and he maintained steady popularity throughout the ’40s. Then, in the ’50s, the Popsicle brand even sponsored a few television variety shows, making it truly a household name. Needless to say, a hodgepodge of Popsicle collectibles resulted from these years including the 1939 Diecut Standup Popsicle advertising sign pictured. Featuring Buck Rogers and Wilma Deering, this sign ranks as one of the most desirable advertising signs of its kind. Popsicle not only sponsored Buck and Wilma in the Buck Rogers radio program, but also many other characters through the years.

Today, Popsicle is owned by Good Humor and come in more varieties than you can shake
a Popsicle stick at. You can get Popsicles featuring your favorite characters such as Bart Simpson and SpongeBob SquarePants. Not to mention Crispy Cones (ice cream cones dipped in crispy-crunchy chocolate), Lick-A-Colors (the pops actually change colors), Hyper-Stripes (a patriotic blend of red cherry, white lemon, and blue raspberry), and a host of others. Fudgsicles and Creamsicles, Towering Tornadoes, Snow Cones, Banana Bananzas…how sweet it all is.