How the Great Depression Created the Double Popsicle
Photo courtesy of People’s Pops.
By Annie Quigley
The popsicle was allegedly invented by an 11-year-old named Frank Epperson who left his drink and a stirrer outside on a cold California night. But what about the double popsicle? Who first decided that two are better than one?
After Epperson’s 1905 boyhood discovery and his (somewhat belated) public patent in 1923, the frozen treat’s popularity skyrocketed. But it was several years later, when the Great Depression hit, that the Popsicle company started freezing pops together and selling two for the price of one. For just a nickel, families that were short on cash could buy one treat, split it, and feed two kids. And so the double ice pop became a delicious yet practical pick-me-up to bolster American spirits.
So, it turns out we’ve been eating double popsicles wrong this whole time, but it’s okay; they’re tough to share. For other icy treats you’ll want to hoard for yourself, check out these recipes.
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