If you're like most ice cream aficionados, it should come as no surprise to you that ice cream has long roots in prehistoric culinary traditions — King Solomon was known for enjoying iced drinks during hot days harvesting his fields, and Roman emperor Nero Claudius Caesar kept runners busy going back and forth between his castle kitchen and the snows surrounding Rome to supply his culinary staff with the snow that served as the foundation for cold confections in the 1st century AD. However, many modern consumers consider ice cream to be the quintessential American sweet treat — history suggests that the first ice cream parlor opened during the same year that America declared her independence from Great Britain. In modern times, no 4th of July celebration is complete without a grand finale of ice cream. Here's what you need to know about how ice cream evolved from a luxury treat for the wealthy to a delicious delight available to all: 

A Delicacy for the Elite

In early America, ice cream was considered a luxury item reserved for the wealthy. This was primarily due to the scarcity of ice and the high cost of ingredients, such as sugar and exotic flavorings. To enjoy ice cream, wealthy households would employ skilled confectioners to create the dessert for special occasions. The presence of ice cream at a social gathering signified the host's wealth and social standing.

Founding Fathers and Their Love for Ice Cream

Several of America's Founding Fathers, including George Washington and Thomas Jefferson, were known for their fondness for ice cream. Washington was known to have an ice cream parlor at his Mount Vernon estate and reportedly spent $200 on ice cream during the summer of 1790. Meanwhile, Jefferson is credited with bringing the first written ice cream recipe to America after his time as a diplomat in France. His recipe, which called for a mixture of cream, sugar, and egg yolks, was similar to modern-day custard-based ice creams.

The Democratization of Ice Cream

As the nation began to grow, so too did its love for ice cream. Thanks to the Industrial Revolution, innovations in ice harvesting and storage allowed for more widespread availability of ice, making it easier for ice cream to be produced and enjoyed by a larger segment of the population. By the mid-19th century, ice cream parlors were appearing in major cities after Maryland resident Jacob Fussell established the nation's first large-scale commercial ice cream factory and began distributing his product via the country's emerging railway system.