Philadelphia became the ice cream capital of the United States in the early 19th century

From 1790 until 1800, Philadelphia was the newborn United States' capital, during which time it also functioned as the country's largest urban region. Philadelphia maintained its thriving status as a commercial and financial hub even after the capital was moved to Washington City in 1800. Philadelphia was a thriving commercial hub in the early 19th century thanks to small company owners like tailors, dressmakers, bootmakers and cobblers, stationers, and—most importantly for this discussion—confectioners. One such businessman was Augustus Jackson, who, according to some stories, once worked as a chef in the White House.

According to one account that mentions Jackson, George Washington also took ice cream pot freezers to Mount Vernon as "souvenirs of a journey to France." Even while it is known that Washington enjoyed ice cream, he sadly never traveled to France. None of the numerous formulas credited to Augustus Jackson are still in existence, and the exact sites of his ice cream factories are up for debate. He also never applied for any patents relating the production of ice cream. Nevertheless, others claim that he is the "Father of Ice Cream."

In addition to the fruit from inland farms and the sugar from the Caribbean islands, the wharves and warehouses of this significant port were brimming with unique delicacies. Ice cream was produced to order and consumed in parlors, coffee shops, tearooms, and private houses without refrigeration for extended periods of time. By the 1840s, it had been transported via inland waterways and post roads, encased in ice and sawdust, to cities and towns.