The History of Good Humor Ice Cream Trucks

You hear it before you see it: that familiar jingle floating down the street like a soundtrack for summer, just before an ice cream truck comes into full view. Suddenly, the kids (and adults) are up and running.

It’s fair to say the magic of an ice cream truck isn’t just about the treasure trove of ice cream it carries. It's about its wonderful ability to bring neighborhoods to life and memories to the surface. And at the center of this nostalgia? Good Humor, the brand that turned a simple treat into a beloved summer ritual 100 years ago.

A Rolling Revolution: History of the Ice Cream Truck

Before the ice cream truck, there was the treat that started it all. In 1920, in Youngstown, Ohio, confectioner Harry Burt came up with a sweet idea: smooth vanilla ice cream coated in chocolate. His daughter was the first to try his creation and while she loved the taste, she thought it was just a little messy to eat.

Close-up of a box of Good Humour Original Bar

That’s when Burt’s son had a bright idea: add a stick. Inspired by another one of Harry’s inventions (the Jolly Boy Sucker, a hard candy lollipop on a stick), this simple tweak made the treat easy to hold. Just like that, the original Good Humor Bar was born.

Close-up of a Good Humour Chocolate Chip Cookie Sandwich.

To get his new creation into as many hands as possible, Harry outfitted a fleet of twelve freezer trucks and sent them out into the streets, each one equipped with a set of bells (the first set was borrowed from his son’s bobsled). Ever since, Good Humor treats have rolled through neighborhoods on everything from tricycles and push carts to the classic white truck with its signature bell. In the early days, Good Humor men were required to tip their hats to ladies and salute gentlemen. It took three days of training and orientation to become a Good Humor Man.

By the ’50s, Good Humor’s fleet had grown to more than 2,000 trucks, serving neighborhoods across the country and helping define the golden age of the ice cream man. Our ice cream truck even had its Hollywood moment. In 1950, The Good Humor Man hit movie theaters, starring Jack Carson as a lovable Good Humor salesman at the center of a crime comedy.

Want to know more about Good Humor’s history? Read: Celebrating 100 Years of Ice Cream History

More Than a Snack: Good Humor’s Place in American Neighborhoods

By mid-century, the Good Humor truck wasn’t just serving dessert, it was showing up as a gathering point for the whole community. Whether people were coming together for a neighborhood football game, a fireworks display, or just enjoying a warm evening outside, you could count on a Good Humor man to be there.

A Good Humor man posing next to his Good Humor truck.

Our ice cream trucks followed a tight schedule, stopping at the same corners at the same time each day. Everyone knew exactly when to listen for that jingle. It became a summertime ritual.

By 1960, each truck carried a menu of more than 85 treats, including creative ones like Banana Split bars and apple pie on a stick. While some of those early experiments didn’t stand the test of time, others became icons like the Strawberry Shortcake Bar, Chocolate Éclair bar, and Giant King Cone.

Discover our current lineup of frozen delights: Cool Off This Summer with Good Humor’s Frozen Treats

Where Are They Now?

In 1978, Good Humor retired its fleet of trucks to focus on bringing ice cream to grocery store freezers across the country. Some of the original vehicles were sold to distributors, others to individuals.

While the trucks aren’t on every corner like they once were, the spirit of Good Humor is still going strong. You can find our classic treats in grocery stores, stadiums, and parks. And once in a while, our iconic white trucks roll back out for festivals, pop-ups, and brand events, still drawing smiles from a new generation.

It’s a Feeling

You might not be chasing an ice cream truck barefoot anymore, but that first bite of an Original Creamsicle or an Original Bar will still always taste like pure joy. And we promise to keep delivering that feeling with our treats, whether they’re the classics or brand-new inventions.