The ice cream cone was invented by Abe Doumar of Norfolk, Virginia

ice cream conePhoto byDana DeVolkonUnsplash

Some products were invented because of accident or necessity. The ice cream cone was invented because of necessity. The Smithsonian recognizes Abe Doumar as the inventor of the ice cream cone.

History of Dumar's ice cream cone

The ice cream cone was invented in 1904 by Abe Doumar, a traveling salesman selling paperweights and other items at the St. Louis World's Fair.

One evening, Doumar noticed that an ice cream stand had to close early when the owner ran out of paper plates. Another salesman at a nearby stand was making waffles on an iron waffle maker and selling them garnished with a dollop of whipped cream.

Seeing what happened in the nearby stands, Abe bought a waffle, rolled it into a cone, and topped it with ice cream. After seeing the result, Doumar proposed that the ice cream vendor and waffle salesman collaborate to continue operating their ice cream stands.

ice cream conePhoto byANNIE HATUANHonUnsplash

Years later

Doumar purchased a four-iron waffle maker. Later, he purchased a 36-iron machine that could produce 20 cones a minute. In 1905, he opened his first Doumar's ice cream stand, which is still in operation today. By 1907, he and his brothers sold 23,000 ice cream cones at the Jamestown Exposition.

Classic sandwiches were added to the business to keep it open all year. Doumar's waffle cones are still a big hit at Doumar's Cones and BBQ which still operates at 1919 Monticello Avenue, Norfolk, VA 23517.