With over 250 years of tradition, not only is Maryland the first on the continent to make ice cream but one of their counties was the first to commercialize it. A milkman in Baltimore, Maryland helped to create the sweet treat that people have come to love for generations. 

Maryland proudly holds the distinction of being the first place in North America to enjoy ice cream. In 1744, Governor Thomas Bladen served a strawberry-flavored version of the sweet treat, making history in the colony. More than a century later, in 1851, Baltimore milkman Jacob Fussell revolutionized the dessert by launching the first commercial ice cream production in the country.

Today, ice cream remains a beloved part of Maryland’s cultural and culinary landscape. Across the state, you’ll find creameries—some family-owned for over a hundred years—where fresh, local ingredients are churned into delicious “cow-to-cone” creations.

To celebrate this sweet legacy, Maryland created the  Maryland’s Best Ice Cream Trail Passport. Ice cream lovers can download the official Ice Cream Trail Passport and take a tasty tour of creameries throughout the state, savoring unique flavors and supporting local farms along the way.

Check out some of the fantastic creameries that Maryland has to offer by visiting Ice Cream Lovers’ Guide to Maryland.

If you would like your county featured in Fun Facts, please get in touch with Amanda Grosskrueger at agrosskrueger@mdcounties.org.