Friday, July 2, 2021

Victorian America's Ice Cream Saloons

Kristin Holt | Victorian America's Ice Cream Saloons

 by Kristin Holt, USA Today Bestselling Author
of Sweet Romance set in the American Old West

 

Victorian American Summers

Nineteenth century Americans (middle- and upper-class) loved the summer season. They frolicked at the seaside, bathed in the sea, sipped frosty Coca-Cola, picnicked on fried chicken, and enjoyed cold desserts. Just like today, folks back then loved ice cream.

When they weren't making ice cream at home, they enjoyed it in cafes, restaurants, bakeries, and ordered it delivered for grand occasions.

Kristin Holt | Victorian America's Ice Cream Saloons. Rutledge Ice Cream by the quart, gallon, or retail. To be had at the confectionary store of M.W. Billman. Harrisburg Telegraph newspaper of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. April 25, 1870.

Saloons for Ladies (and polite company)

Saloon, you say?

Nineteenth century saloons included drinking establishments, of course. But the term was used widely to include public rooms or building used for a specific purpose. Like an ice cream saloon. 

Kristin Holt | Victorian America's Ice Cream Saloons. "An Ice Cream Saloon attached (to S. A. Reed & Co's New Confectionary) will be found the best place in town for cool, delicious refreshment. Call and see." Lewisburg Chronicle of Lewisburg, Pennsylvania on May 21, 1858.
Note that this 1867 ad aims to gain female patrons: "...take pleasure in informing the public, especially the Ladies, that their Spacious and Magnificent Saloon... is now open."

Kristin Holt | Victorian America's Ice Cream Saloons. Advertisement for New Ice Cream Saloon in Public Ledger of Memphis, Tennessee on July 17, 1867.

Memphis wasn't alone in marketing ice cream saloons to females. Little Rock also catered to a lady's preferences for peace, quiet, and orderliness.

Kristin Holt | Victorian America's Ice Cream Saloons. Advertisement for Ladies Ice Cream Saloon in Daily Arkansas Gazette of Little Rock, Arkansas, April 26, 1870.

Raleigh, North Carolina had its own female-friendly Ladies' Ice Cream Saloon.

Kristin Holt | Victorian America's Ice Cream Saloons. Ladies' Ice Cream Saloon advertises Ice Cream and Soda Water at Moseley's, within The Daily Standard newspaper of Raleigh, North Carolina. Dated June 8, 1870.

Ice Cream Saloons by Other Names

Ice Cream Parlor

Kristin Holt | Victorian America's Ice Cream Saloons. An Ice Cream Parlor serves guests who dine in, as well as delivers to restaurants, hotels, families, picnics, church festivals, etc. Reno Gazette-Journal, Reno, Nevada, July 29, 1881.
Plenty of ice cream establishments called themselves parlors. Several other names cropped up in nineteenth-century newspapers.

Ice Cream Rooms

Yes, Rooms.

Kristin Holt | Victorian America's Ice Cream Saloons. "Miss E. Brinton will open her ice cream rooms, corner of Dock and Race street, this evening." Advertisement in Harrisburg Daily Telegraph of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania on May 8, 1869.
A bakery in Ohio, selling pastries and other delicacies, advertised its Ice Cream Rooms.
Kristin Holt | Victorian America's Ice Cream Saloons. Ice Cream Rooms advertised in connection with a new bakery, in The Democratic Press of Ravenna, Ohio. July 15, 1875.

A fellow named Charles Hoffman "has completed his Ice Cream Saloon," at Hoffman's Rooms. Apparently Hoffman was already in the restaurant business.

Victorian America's Ice Cream Saloons. "Charles Hoffman has completed his Ice Cream Saloon, and is now ready to supply all customers in a neat, comfortable place." The Coffeeville Daily Journal of Coffeeville, Kansas, May 5, 1880.

Ice Cream Salons

This first example comes from a German-language newspaper of St. Louis in 1858. Flora Garten, a "Bier- und Ice Cream-Salon."

Kristin Holt | Victorian America's Ice Cream Saloons. "Bier- und Ice Cream-Salon" advertised in Westliche Post of St. Louis, Missouri, July 13, 1858.
Apparently the term "salon" was used for ice cream saloons beyond the German-speaking. D. Lopez advertised his bakery like this: "Confectioner, Chocolate Manufactory, Pastry, Cake and Ice Cream Salon."
Kristin Holt | Victorian America's Ice Cream Saloons. D. Lopez, "Confectioner, Chocolate Manufactory, Pastry, Cake and Ice Cream Salon." Advertised in The Louisiana Sugar-Bowl of New Iberia, Louisiana, February 28, 1878.
From Kansas to New York, Ice Cream Salons were established in towns and cities.
Kristin Holt | Victorian America's Ice Cream Saloons. A. Lukens Confectionery and Ice Cream Salon, advertised in Clearwater Leader of Clearwater, Kansas. July 19, 1886.


Kristin Holt | Victorian America's Ice Cream Saloons. The Vienna Cafe, Restaurant and Ice Cream Salon. The Standard Union of Brooklyn, New York, May 11, 1887.

Invitation

Have you identified other names for ice cream saloons used in Victorian-era America?

Other thoughts?

Please scroll down and comment.

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