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Bomb Pops, Rocket Pops, and Firecracker Popsicles

    Summer is here and parents all over have their freezers stuffed with Bomb Pops, Rocket Pops and Firecracker popsicles. But where does the patriot-colored popsicle come from?

    The original rocket-shaped but confusingly named Bomb Pop was first invented in 1955 by D.S. “Doc” Abernathy and James S. Merritt, for Kansas City, Missouri’s Merritt Foods. The iconic red, white and blue stack was flavored with cherry, lime and blue raspberry. When Merritt Foods eventually shut down operations in 1991, Bomb Pop manufacturing was sold off to Iowa-based Wells Dairy/Wells Enterprises. The frozen confections are still made today in La Mars, Iowa.

    The very first Popsicle ice pop was created way back in 1905 by an 11-year-old named Frank Epperson. That’s right, the Popsicle was invented by a kid! Popsicle sticks are made from baltic birch, which is used to make wooden aircraft.