Harry Burt facts for kids

Harry B. Burt (born 1875, died 1926) was an American candy maker. He invented the famous Good Humor ice cream bar. Burt changed how ice cream treats were made and sold. He made it easier for everyone to enjoy them.

Inventing the Good Humor Bar

In 1920, Harry Burt ran an ice cream shop in Youngstown. He created a special chocolate coating for ice cream. This chocolate would stick to the ice cream without cracking.

His wife later said that Burt got the idea for putting a wooden stick into the chocolate-covered ice cream bar. This happened around 1920 or 1921. This was even before the Eskimo Pie appeared.

On January 30, 1922, Burt asked for patents. These patents would protect his idea for making the ice cream bar. In 1923, he received patents for his special process and equipment. However, he did not get a patent for the product itself. This led to some legal problems later on.

Smart Marketing Ideas

Harry Burt was very good at marketing his new Good Humor bar. He was a pioneer in creating a strong brand. An article from The U.S. National Archives & Records Administration says that Burt wanted his product to be the same everywhere. He wanted it to have the same taste and ingredients.

Burt not only made his ice cream bars the same quality. He also found a new way to sell them. He used special Good Humor trucks. These trucks drove through neighborhoods, just like old-time street vendors. The Good Humor truck was a common sight in America until the 1970s.

Legal Challenges and What Happened Next

In 1925, other frozen treats on a stick became popular. Good Humor then sued some companies, including the Popsicle Corporation. They tried to work out a deal, but it didn't happen. Good Humor dropped its lawsuit in 1926.

After Harry Burt passed away in 1926, his wife sold the rights to the Good Humor brand. Burt's son, Harry B. Burt Jr., kept a Good Humor business in Oklahoma. He later started a dairy drink company called Malt-A-Plenty.

In 2006, the building in Youngstown where Burt created the Good Humor Bar was honored. Parade magazine called it one of the places that shaped America's history.

A Historic Building

The old factory building where Harry Burt made his candy and ice cream is now becoming a history center. In 2008, the Mahoning Valley Historical Society bought the building. They bought it from the Ross Radio Company, which had owned it since 1935.

That same year, William Lawson, who directs the Historical Society, started raising money. He wanted to raise $6 million for the project. The building is listed on the National Register of Historic Places as the Burt Building.