The Soda Fountain and Ice Cream Parlor

So today I was rummaging around in my refrigerator looking for the ingredients to make a chocolate milkshake... unfortunately I came up short on some of the ingredients and had to satisfy myself by reading some history on soda fountains and ice cream parlors.

After doing this I decided to google if there are any soda fountains or ice cream parlors around and I sadly my search was for naught. There are very few ice cream parlors that stay true to the original 1880's feel or any soda fountains to speak of near my house. In all actuality I discovered that the soda fountain craze died in the '70s. It was started at the beginning of the 1900s and it's popularity spiked during the depression because it was cheaper to go hang out at a drug store and eat ice cream there rather than going to a bar. So who invented the first carbonated drink? Oddly enough it was a pharmacist. Not long after his invention anyone could buy a soda fountain, a couple of recipes and set up shop, most of the people who bought soda fountain's were indeed pharmacists, the reason for this I still can't seem to figure out.

Eventually something that was called a "soda counter" was invented and now people could come to your drugstore, sit down, drink a soda or eat ice cream, for as long as they wanted. It was just an easy way to socialize.

A painting of one of the first soda fountains.

Hmm. I wish I was there!

A soda counter.