Soda Jerks: Heroes of the Past

Originally, what was called a soda fountain was a device that dispensed carbonated soft drinks and sparkling water, but over time, it came to be used as a general term for an ice cream parlor and food counter, what we know as soda fountains. These began to appear in pharmacies and penny stores in the mid-1800s.

Benjamin Silliman, a Yale professor of chemistry, introduced carbonated soda water to America as early as 1806 in New Haven, CT, home of Yale. It caught on quickly, and along with three partners, he began expanding to New York City and Baltimore. By the mid 1800’s they knew they had a winner, especially with the addition of snack foods, where anyone could grab a quick sandwich along with a frozen treat. The idea of ​​the drugstores was quite ingenious, since the cola syrups were instilled with carbonated water and were originally sold as digestifs. Soda fountains can be adorned with marble counters and Tiffany lamps or simple, usually with a mirrored back wall and the familiar gooseneck soda water dispenser that servers, affectionately known as “soda jerks,” who operate those black-handled taps and fill glasses, creating wonderful bubbly drinks that tickled the nose and delighted the taste buds. Creating a popular gathering place for all ages, small towns and big cities embraced them, with customers often lining up for seats during peak hours, happily contemplating their orders. On warm summer evenings, a cool sparkling lemonade refreshes thirsty patrons or, better yet, a banana split can be shared with a best friend or sister.

Most of the soda fountains had chocolate, vanilla, and strawberry ice cream (some even had New York cherry, butter pecan, and tutti-frutti) along with chocolate, strawberry, and marshmallow syrups. To top it off, crushed walnuts and maraschino cherries added to the visual delight of those glorious concoctions. Hot chocolate sundaes were created to be served on Sundays when religions prohibited the sale of sparkling water, thus prohibiting the serving of the popular chocolate ice cream sundaes. (Apparently ice cream and syrup weren’t considered sinful, but soda water was.)

Sadly, in the 1950s, pharmacies moved toward drive-through, doing away with lunch and ice cream counters entirely, and fast food began to replace the lunch counter with burgers and shakes that bore little resemblance to their predecessors. Out with the old, in with the new, as more and more space was needed for the hundreds of shelves displaying boxed and bottled goods, replacing less-revenue-generating sodas and egg salad sandwiches.

Today, there are still vintage ice cream parlors and fountains scattered across the country, carrying on the nostalgia of the originals. And in small towns, root beer stands still happily serve up soft serve floats, but it’s just not the same. Sure, you can go to Dairy Queen or Baskin-Robbins and order ice cream or even a banana split, but something is missing. Is it those hats, or is it just a piece of history?