of 10ยข; and
WHEREAS, Westmoreland Glass Company, located in Grapeville,
began making custom-made long, narrow dishes in 1905 after Mr.
Strickler placed an order for what he called "banana boat"
dishes and continued to produce them for banana splits until
1984; and
WHEREAS, A coworker of Mr. Strickler's eventually left
Latrobe to attend the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia
and worked in a soda fountain where he began making banana
splits; and
WHEREAS, Within the next 10 years, the banana split would
become synonymous with America's most famous beach resort at the
time, Atlantic City, where people from all over tried the banana
split and its popularity grew; and
WHEREAS, The banana split grew into a national treasure of a
treat after Walgreens Drug Store made it the store's signature
dish at its soda fountains across the country in the 1920s; and
WHEREAS, The Greater Latrobe-Laurel Valley Chamber of
Commerce hosts the annual "Great American Banana Split
Celebration" to honor the heritage of the banana split within
the Latrobe community, bringing thousands of visitors to the
area for the festival's three-day event every August; and
WHEREAS, The National Ice Cream Retailers Association
commemorated Latrobe as the official birthplace of the banana
split; and
WHEREAS, In 2016, the United States Postal Service issued a
series of "Soda Fountain Favorite" stamps which included the
banana split; and
WHEREAS, The banana split is still a staple menu item at ice
cream parlors and dining establishments across the United
20190SR0187PN1072 - 2 -
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30