Today in History - 1922

Danish immigrant Christian K. Nelson, a schoolteacher and candy store owner, claimed to have received the inspiration for the Eskimo Pie in 1919 (in Iowa) when a boy in his store was unable to decide whether to spend his money on ice cream or a chocolate bar. After experimenting with different ways to adhere melted chocolate to bricks of ice cream, Nelson began selling his invention under the name "I-Scream Bars." In 1921, he filed for a patent, and secured an agreement with chocolate manufacturer Russell Stover Candies to mass-produce them under the new trademarked name "Eskimo Pie" (a name suggested by Mrs. Stover). After patent 1,404,539 was issued on this date, Nelson franchised the product, allowing ice cream manufacturers to produce them under that name.