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Happening
at the Crossroads:
July 19,
2010
by Coggin
Heeringa
The
Door County Historical Society has deemed this week a Cherry Sundae
event. But could that be historically accurate? Well, ice cream was
first created in England for the court of Charles I around 1600. Here
in the United States, our founding fathers served ice cream at
special occasions… very special occassions.
Making ice cream was
pretty labor intensive until the hand-crank ice cream maker was
invented by Nancy Johnson in 1843. By the turn of the last century
(which is the depiction period of The Historical Village) people in
Door County would have had access to ice cream.
But, could they
have eaten sundaes in 1900? Absolutely. While bogus claims to the first
sundae abound, the Wisconsin Historical Society has verified that the
first ice cream sundae was invented in Ed Berners‘ soda fountain in
nearby Two Rivers, Wisconsin in 1881.
As the story is told , a
tourist (from Illinois) wasn’t particularly interested in purchasing a
chocolate soda, but he suggested the Berner pour chocolate syrup
directly on ice cream. While Berners was not impressed with the
concept, he was accommodating and the sundae was born. He sold the
sundaes on Sundays for a nickel.
As the legend goes, a little
girl came into the soda fountain on a weekday and asked for a sundae.
When told that sundaes were only available on Sundays, she reportedly
asked, “Couldn’t we just pretend it is a Sunday?” And Berner
started selling the ice cream treats every day.
How the spelling
got changed to sundae is open to debate. One story, which appears in
many sources, credits the saleman who sold the special dishes for the
delicacy. More likely–religion was important in those days– the change
was made out of respect to the Sabbath.
Certainly, by 1900,
sundaes had come to Door County, but the original sundaes were
chocolate. In Door County, certainly cherry sundaes were popular. Or
not.
A.L. Hatch & Professor E.S. Goff began planting cherry
trees in Door county in 1896. Would those trees have born fruit in four
years? Hummm. But as soon as cherries were harvested in
Door County, folks figured undoubtedly figured out that they tasted
really good with ice cream.
So will the Door County Historical
Society Cherry Ice Cream Social be historically accurate? Not entirely.
It is a fundraiser. Odds are that the cost of a sundae will be greater
than the original five cents.
Speaking of historically accuracy,
from time to time, people donate antiques to the Historical Village
which are either innappropriate for our depiction period . And sometime
we acquire duplicates for items we already have. So each summer, the
historical society holds a Vintage/Antique and Treasure
Sale! Mark your calendars for Thursday, July 29,1:00-5:00
or Friday July 30th 9:00-1:00. You just might find that
treasure you have been looking for!
Educational programs
for learners of all ages focusing on history and nature will be
offered at 11:00, Monday through Thursday. From 1:30-3:30, both the
Historical Village and the Wildlife Exhibits in the Collins Learning
Center will be open. You can also buy a rainbarrel during our business
hours.Check our website www.crossroadsatbigcreek.org and click on the
rainbarrel icon for more information.
Crossroads
at Big Creek is a donor-supported educational preserve, welcoming
learners of all ages to programs in science, history and the
environment. The Collins Learning Center and The Historical Village are
located at 2041 Michigan Street (County TT in Sturgeon Bay.) Trails are
open to the public. Pets (on leash and under control) are permitted.
Thursdday, July 22, 11:00
Family Program: “Mammals”
Explore the Wisconsin Wildlife Exhibit at in the Collins Learning Center and learn about the animals of Door County. Free.
Sunday, July 25, 1:30 – 3:30
Cherry Ice Cream Social and Village Tours
Help
support the Door County Historical Society by purchasing a cherry
sundae while you enjoy free tours of the buildings. Tours are free.
Monday,July 26, 1:00
Family Program: “A School Day in 1900”
Enjoy
lessons in a country crossroads school where reading, writing
and arithmetic, history, science and music were taught in one
room. About an hour. Meet at the Vignes School in The
Historical Village at The Crossroads. Free.
Tuesday, July 27
Family Program: “Insects”
Explore the meadows for the amazing insects of summer. Free. Meet at the Collins Learning Center.
Wednesday, July 28, 11:00
Family Program: ”Warren House”
Visit
a log home built in the 1870s. Explore a “keeping room”, a
parlor, and a summer kitchen. About an hour. Meet at the Warren
House in The Historical Village at The Crossroads. Free.
Thursday, July 29 1:00-5:00
Friday, July 30, 9:00-1:00
Vintage/Antique and Treasure Sale
The
Door County Historical Society is sponsoring this sale to benefit the
village artifacts fund. You just might find that item you have
been looking for! We hope you’ll visit us for the sale and at other
times, too! History. Admission free.
Many of
the Past News articles may be retrieved from this
directory,
indexed and named in the following manner: 080101-news.htm
where
the first two numbers are the year, the second two the month and the
last two the date.
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