Harry S. Truman

Historical marker location:

112 West Lexington Avenue, Independence, Missouri

( Marker is on Main Street near Lexington Avenue, on the left when traveling north.)

Marker installed: 1976

1884 - 1972.

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.