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| A young Frank Epperson and Vintage Popsicle® Ad |
Frank Epperson’s life changed on a frigid Oakland night in 1905, when the temperature dropped to record lows and the eleven-year-old accidentally created one of America’s most enduring treats. He had mixed powdered soda with water in a glass and left it on the porch with a wooden stir stick still inside. By morning, the mixture had frozen solid. Curious, he tugged on the stick, pulled the flavored ice free, and tasted it. Delighted, he dubbed it the “Epsicle,” combining his last name with the word “icicle.” He began making homemade versions for neighborhood children, unaware that this childhood accident would become a cultural icon.
As a young man, Epperson continued experimenting with molds and materials, ultimately determining that glass produced the best results. In 1923, he decided to sell the treats commercially and began offering his Epsicles at Alameda’s Neptune Beach, a sprawling waterfront amusement park at Crab Cove where Bay Area residents flocked to picnic, dance, barbecue, or ride the Ferris wheel and roller coaster. The treats were an immediate hit. Encouraged by the success, he applied for a patent in 1924 for what he described as a “frozen confection of attractive appearance” designed to be eaten easily “without contamination by contact with the hand.” His patent illustration even specified the ideal woods for the stick—basswood, birch, or poplar.
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| Portion of Patent Application |
Epperson’s children urged him to rename the Epsicle to what they and their friends were already calling it: “Pop’s ’Sicle.” The new name—Popsicle®—stuck. By 1928, he was earning royalties as Popsicles grew in popularity, with some accounts noting he earned more than $60,000 in royalties before the Great Depression forced him to sell the rights to the Joe Lowe Company. He later said the decision haunted him: “I was flat and had to liquidate all my assets. I haven’t been the same since.” Lowe turned the Popsicle® into a national brand, launching the famous two-stick version during the Depression so two children could share one treat for a nickel.
As demand soared, Popsicle® and Good Humor battled over what constituted ice cream versus sherbet, with the court ultimately assigning Popsicle® the territory of water-based frozen treats. Despite the legal wrangling, the product thrived for decades. In later years, companies introduced entire families of Popsicle®-brand products, including Fudgsicle, Creamsicle, and Dreamsicle varieties. By the mid-20th century, the Popsicle® was firmly established as an American classic. The Chicago Heights
Star reported in 1998 that more than 30 variations existed, and families routinely stocked freezers with multi-packs that emerged in the 1950s. In 1989, Unilever purchased the Popsicle® brand and eventually also acquired Good Humor, ending the historic feud and expanding Popsicle® production worldwide. Today, more than 2 billion Popsicles are sold each year, with orange long remaining one of the most popular flavors.
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| Vintage Popsicle® Ad |
Although Epperson never became wealthy from the invention that brought joy to millions, he did live to see the Popsicle’s golden anniversary celebrated in his honor. Newspaper accounts over the years show him enjoying Popsicles with his grandchildren and receiving a plaque to commemorate his original patent.
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| Children's Book about Epperson's invention |
His story has since circulated widely in popular histories, corporate lore, and even children’s books. Locally, Epperson is celebrated as part of Oakland’s culinary legacy; he is buried at Mountain View Cemetery, where his inventive spirit is often highlighted alongside fellow Bay Area food pioneers such as Domingo Ghirardelli, the Folger Coffee family, "Yukon Jack" McQuesten, Victor “Trader Vic” Bergeron, and
Freda Ehmann who is considered "the mother of the California olive industry." There is an annual "Food Tour" at the cemetery. Check the website for dates. Sources: Greenville Record-Argus, Oct. 14, 1986; Marysville Appeal-Democrat, Mar. 16, 1973; Nampa Idaho Free Press, Mar. 21, 1973; Chicago Heights Star, Sept. 3, 1998; CBS Sunday Morning; US Patent Office; Amazon.com; Wikipedia
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