One Man's Dream

Historical marker location:

Ha Ha Tonka, Missouri

( Marker is on Natural Bridge Road, ½ mile south of Missouri Highway D, on the left when traveling west.)

Ha Ha Tonka State Park. Missouri State Parks.

The state of Missouri was the birthplace of the ice cream cone. It was invented by a Syrian immigrant named Ernest Hamwi who was selling waffles at the 1904 World's Fair in St. Louis. When an ice cream vendor ran out of dishes, Hamwi rolled up one of his waffles to hold the ice cream and the ice cream cone was born.