Several famous breakthroughs happened by accident, including the beloved summer treat, the iconic Popsicle, which was invented by 11-year-old Frank Epperson.
In 1905, Epperson discovered the frozen treat after mixing sugary soda powder with water using a wooden stirring stick and leaving the mixture out overnight on his porch in Oakland, California.
The next day, he found the mixture frozen solid and discovered that pulling out the stick revealed an icy, sweet treat. He eagerly devoured it, licking the frozen mixture off the wooden stick.
Initially called it “Epsicle,” it was formed by combining his surname with “icicle.”
Epperson made the treat for his friends but eventually began selling it to children in his neighborhood.
After years of success, he expanded his business beyond the neighborhood in 1923, selling the treat at a nearby amusement park called Neptune Beach or the “West Coast Coney Island,” where snow cones also made its debut.
In 1924, as sales of his frozen treat flourished, Epperson applied for a patent, describing it as a “frozen confection of attractive appearance, which can be conveniently consumed without contamination by contact with the hand and without the need for a plate, spoon, fork or other implement.”
Epperson’s children also played a major role in the evolution of the beloved confectionery, encouraging him to change its name from Epsicle to Pop’s ‘Sicle, which eventually became the iconic Popsicle.
Popsicle inventor Frank Epperson, 78, and granddaughter Nancy Epperson, 5, celebrate the 50th anniversary of his invention.Getty Images
Despite the frozen treat’s growing hype, Epperson struggled financially, eventually prompting him to sell the rights to the Popsicle to the Joe Lowe Co. in 1925.
“I was flat and had to liquidate all my assets,” he later said, expressing his regret over his decision, per NPR. He added, “I haven’t been the same since.”
The Lowe Co. introduced the two-stick version of the Popsicle for 5 cents, helping consumers stretch their money’s worth amid the Great Depression.
After World War II, Popsicles grew even more popular as more households could afford freezers and refrigerators.
Throughout the decades, Popsicle changed ownership several times as it became part of larger ice cream companies.
Unilever acquired the brand in 1989, and it is now part of The Magnum Ice Cream Company, which became an independent, publicly traded company in December 2025.
Today, Popsicle remains a recognizable name in frozen treats, with more than two billion ice pops sold annually. According to the brand’s official website, cherry remains its most popular flavor.
Related: In 1937, Margaret Rudkin baked whole wheat bread for her asthmatic son; 24 years later she sold Pepperidge Farm to Campbell Soup for $28 million
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