From the Heimann Collection

The History of  the Soda Fountain

From the early 20th century into the 1960s, it was common for small-town residents and big-city dwellers to enjoy carbonated beverages at local soda fountains.  Often housed together with apothecaries the ornate baroque soda fountain counter served as a meeting place for people of all ages.  By the 1920s, just about every apothecary had a soda fountain.

The term "soda water" was first coined in 1798 and in 1810 the first U.S. patent was issued for the mass manufacture of imitation mineral waters to inventors Simmons  and Rundell of Charleston, South Carolina.  The soda fountain patent was first granted to U.S. physician Samuel Fahnestock in 1819.  He had invented a barrel-shaped pump and spigot to dispense carbonated water.

In  Lowell, Massachusetts Gustavus D. Dows invented and operated the first marble soda fountain and ice shaver which he patented in 1863.  It was made of eye-pleasing white Italian marble, onyx and glistening brass with large mirrors. Boston-based manufacturer, James Walker Tufts patented a soda fountain in 1883.  Tufts went on to become a huge soda fountain maker, selling more soda fountains than all of his competitors combined!

Unfortunately, the popularity of soda fountains collapsed in the 1970s with the introduction of fast foods, commerical ice cream, bottled soft drinks and restaurants.  Today, the soda fountain is nothing other than a small, self serve soft drink dispenser.  Old-fashioned soda fountain parlors within apothecaries where druggists would serve syrup and chilled, carbonated soda water are most likely found in museums nowadays.

Until the 1960s, both small-town and big-city dwellers enjoyed carbonated beverages at the soda fountain or ice cream parlor.  Often houses in the drugstore, the soda fountain counter served as a meeting place for people of all ages.  Often combined with lunch counters, the soda fountain declined in popularity as commerical ice cream, bottled soft drinks and fast-food restaurants became popular.