The History Center in Tompkins County

05/28/2026

Tomorrow is the very first tour in our summer of Downtown Ithaca History Tours! And we want to take a moment to thank The Strand Cafe for generously sponsoring these programs.

Our first tour in the series is "King Alcohol Ends Reign: Ithaca’s Prohibition History Walking Tour" and you'll end up at The Strand, where Carrie Nation Hatchets are on display. Want to know the story behind these hatchets and how Ithaca earned the nickname "Sin City"? Get your tickets to the tour on thehistorycenter.net/tours and use code "FIRST" to receive 20% off your tickets during the first week of tours.

05/23/2026

A beautiful view 📸

This aerial view of downtown Ithaca, facing west and overlooking the "tuning fork" where State Street meets Seneca and Green Streets, was taken by C. Hadley Smith, ca. 1965. Do you remember any businesses from this area that no longer exist in Ithaca?

Photo courtesy of The History Center in Tompkins County.

05/13/2026

Are you joining us tonight at Monks On The Commons for Monks Gives Back? Our bartender for the evening will be Benjamin Sandberg, Executive Director at The History Center. During Monks Gives Back, 50% of all food and beverage proceeds support The History Center as part of Monks' monthly nonprofit series.

Eat, drink, and be merry!

04/25/2026

Many thanks to all of the contributors and volunteers that make the Sundae Showdown a smashing success. This event was a collaborative effort between The History Center, Ithaca Downtown Conference Center, Purity Ice Cream, Ithaca Wegmans, and, of course, our amazing team of Ithaca College students.

Thank you also to Cayuga Lake Creamery, Hollenbeck's Cider Mill, and SweetMelissa for donating ingredients to make their sundaes shine sweetly.

04/24/2026

Oanh Dawes and Cayuga Lake Creamery were picked by the people as the Sundae Showdown Champion for their Raspberry Pavlova Crunch! Cayuga Lake Creamery's White Chocolate
Raspberry Truffle Ice Cream was the star of the show with artfully assembled meringue crumbles, whipped cream, and a fresh raspberry.

Everyone in attendance made Chester Platt proud, with over 800 individuals showing up to celebrate his invention, the ice cream sundae. All proceeds from the event will support the continued preservation of our county history!

Photos by Downtown Ithaca

04/18/2026

In preparation for the Sundae Showdown on April 19 at the Ithaca Downtown Conference Center, we're going to share artifacts that will be on display to highlight the history of the ice cream and dairy in Tompkins County. From children's playthings to specially designed ice cream scoops, the dairy industry in Tompkins County has been preserved in the archives and collection of The History Center.

Come see these artifacts and more, taste ten excellent sundae's, and vote a champion by getting your tickets at sundaeshowdown.com, and keep an eye out here for closer looks at these items.

White Mountain “Junior” Model Ice Cream Maker
Despite its small size, this miniature hand-cranked freezer is no simple plaything, it actually works! Produced by the White Mountain Freezer Company, famous for their heavy-duty wooden ice cream tubs, this “Junior” model allowed children to churn real ice cream using ice, rock salt, and cream. Small, functional models like this one were also occasionally used by traveling salesmen as portable samples to demonstrate the cranking mechanism to local hardware store owners without hauling a full-sized barrel. (Catalog Number T-2-131)

04/17/2026

In preparation for the Sundae Showdown on April 19 at the Ithaca Downtown Conference Center, we're going to share artifacts that will be on display to highlight the history of the ice cream and dairy in Tompkins County. From children's playthings to specially designed ice cream scoops, the dairy industry in Tompkins County has been preserved in the archives and collection of The History Center.

Come see these artifacts and more, taste ten excellent sundae's, and vote a champion by getting your tickets at sundaeshowdown.com, and keep an eye out here for closer looks at these items.

Operated by the Begent family, Ithaca’s Begeacres Farm was renowned for its herd of Guernsey cows, which produced exceptionally rich, golden-tinted milk. To serve the needs of mid-century households, the family business expanded well beyond standard milk delivery. This collection of packaging—ranging from classic glass milk bottles to containers for yogurt, buttermilk, and cottage cheese—demonstrates how local dairies diversified their product lines to become full-service staples of the Tompkins County diet.

04/17/2026

In preparation for the Sundae Showdown on April 19 at the Ithaca Downtown Conference Center, we're going to share artifacts that will be on display to highlight the history of the ice cream and dairy in Tompkins County. From children's playthings to specially designed ice cream scoops, the dairy industry in Tompkins County has been preserved in the archives and collection of The History Center.

Come see these artifacts and more, taste ten excellent sundae's, and vote a champion by getting your tickets at sundaeshowdown.com, and keep an eye out here for closer looks at these items.

This heavy-duty mechanical ice cream scoop, made of steel, brass, and copper, was a staple of early 20th-century kitchens and soda fountains. Manufactured by the Gilchrist Company, the inscription “Size 20” indicates its specific volume: it was perfectly calibrated to yield exactly 20 scoops from a single quart of ice cream. This scoop was used by the Morgan family of Lewiston, New York, before finding its way into the collection. (Catalog Number 1987.184.9)

04/17/2026

🍦 your weekend itinerary 🍦

🖌️ Head to Orozco Gallery for a talk and workshop with artists Annie Sheng and Rory Ruiz Romero Howell.

🌎 Enjoy fun, family-friendly activities, resources, food, and music in the Ithaca Commons at the Earth Day Festival put together by Energy & Climate Change, CCE Tompkins.

🎲 Go to K-House Karaoke & Arts Hub for a martial arts themed choose-your-own-adventure! No prior experience in martial arts, acting, tabletop roleplaying required.

🍨 Help crown this year's best ice cream sundae of 2026 at the Ithaca Downtown Conference Center. All proceeds go to supporting The History Center in Tompkins County.

Have a Downtown event going on this weekend? Share below!

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04/16/2026

https://ithacavoice.org/2026/04/ithaca-sundae-showdown-to-give-out-the-scoop-on-local-history/

Thank you Ithaca Voice for shouting out our sweet (and historically accurate) fundraiser.

Looking for receipts for our claim to fame (that Ithaca is, indeed, the home of the ice cream sundae?). On Sunday afternoon, April 3, 1892, following services at the Unitarian Church, Reverend John M. Scott stopped by the Platt & C**t Pharmacy in downtown Ithaca. Shop proprietor Chester C. Platt served bowls of vanilla ice cream topped with cherry syrup and a candied cherry. Inspired, the men named the creation the “Cherry Sunday” to honor the day it was made. This dessert became a local favorite, and by October of that year, advertisements for the “Cherry Sunday” were already appearing in the Ithaca Daily Journal—making Ithaca the first documented home of the ice cream sundae. Beat that, Wisconsin. (Newspaper Clipping in the Comments)

ITHACA, N.Y. — A little bit of history and a whole lot of hot fudge will be served up in downtown Ithaca this weekend as part of the second annual […]