Happy National Ice Cream Day.

There’s nothing quite like a scoop (or two) of ice cream on a hot summer day. 

Whether it’s on a cone, in a cup, or on a stick — no matter if you are old, young or somewhere in between, ice cream is awesome.  

Ice cream is universally beloved, but in Shoshone County, there seems to be an intense love for the stuff that goes beyond reason. With roughly 13,000 residents scattered across the sizeable county, there are more than 15 places to stop in and grab an ice-cold sweet treat.  

July 21 is National Ice Cream Day, held each year on the third Sunday of July. To celebrate, we decided to look back at some ice cream history and discuss its presence in Shoshone County.  

Karie and Brian Cleveland opened the Tin Snug in Wallace almost a year ago, putting their own touch to the Silver Valley’s ice cream madness.  

“Ice cream is pure nostalgia,” Karie said.  

Nostalgia indeed. 

The first reported recipe for ice cream in America was penned by none other than Thomas “Mr. Independence” Jefferson.  

Ice cream has adapted over the centuries and now comes in many forms. This is where a little tribalism comes into play. Some folks may debate the merits of soft serve versus traditional, or if they really want to come in hot, they might throw gelato at you, but the passion is undeniable.  

Ice cream consumption in the USA really took off during Prohibition when people needed an indulgence that wasn't alcohol. As people got more and more hooked on ice cream, flavor varieties exploded with things like cookie dough, hot fudge and bubblegum.  

In 1984, following a joint Congressional resolution declaring that July be National Ice Cream Month, President Ronald Regan called ice cream a “nutritious and wholesome food, enjoyed by over ninety percent of the people in the United States. It enjoys a reputation as the perfect dessert and snack food.” 

And while that resolution was only slated for 1984, people decided that if ice cream was too good to only be celebrated once. So, for at least one year, ice cream was a political unifier (there's probably a message in there somewhere).  

The Tin Snug gets its supply from Olympic Mountain Ice Cream, a family-owned creamery based in Shelton, Wash. It boasts unique flavors like blueberry-huckleberry, whiskey caramel praline and pistachio cherry chocolate chip, which is Brian’s favorite and the only flavor they keep year-round. 

The Clevelands have truly made serving ice cream a labor of love.  

“It’s a really great ice cream,” Karie said. “But they’re a smaller creamery and they don’t distribute, so we have to go get our ice cream when we need to restock.”  

Armed with dry ice and Yeti coolers, the Clevelands make the 14-hour round trip several times each year to make sure they keep their stock up and their flavors diversified.  

“We don’t stop on the way home,” Karie said with a laugh. “But it’s so worth it. They use local and fresh ingredients and have really nailed what they’re doing.” 

On a hot day, Brian and Karie both agreed that they serve at least 100 customers some form of ice cream — whether it be in a cup or cone, as part of an affogato, or, for the more adventurous types, a flat that allows you to sample all six of their current flavors.

"We really love it," Brian said.

Americans consume over 6 billion gallons of ice cream each year, according to a report from www.census.gov.  

So, in honor of National Ice Cream Day, grab your family and friends and go get some ice cream.

    Twenty-two-month-old Bradley Wyatt prefers to enjoy his cookie dough ice cream on a cone at the Sierra Silver Mine Tour Gift Shop's ice cream bar.