Chester Platt Explained

Chester C. Platt (1869 - 1934) was a drugstore operator in Ithaca, New York who was credited with the invention of the ice cream sundae.^[1] He was the owner of the Ithaca Democrat, the Batavia Times, and the Madison Wisconsin Leader. He was secretary to New York Governor William Sulzer, and was involved in Democratic state and national politics from 1910 to 1920. In Ithaca, he was active in the Unitarian Church and in local politics.^[2]

Notes and References

1. Web site: Documenting Ithaca New York as the Home of the Ice Cream Sundae. On Sunday afternoon, April 3, 1892, after services at the Unitarian Church, Reverend John M. Scott paid his usual visit to the Platt & Colt Pharmacy in downtown Ithaca. Shop proprietor, Chester C. Platt, was church treasurer and he met often with Scott for conversation after services. Seeking refreshment for himself and the reverend, Platt asked his fountain clerk, DeForest Christiance, for two bowls of ice cream. But instead of serving the reverend plain vanilla, Platt took the bowls and topped each with cherry syrup and a candied cherry. The finished dish looked delightful and tasted delicious—so much so that the men felt obliged to name the new creation. After some debate, Scott suggested that it be named for the day it was created. Platt concurred and the first "Cherry Sunday" was born.. Ithaca Convention & Visitors Bureau. 2007. 2007-08-20. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20070822093623/http://visitithaca.com//sundaySundae.cfm. August 22, 2007.
2. News: Guide to the Chester C. Platt Papers,1869-1934 . . 2010-01-09 .