The ice cream cone feels eternal. It feels like something that has always existed, as if summer itself would collapse without it. We hold one in our hand and never stop to wonder who decided that ice cream should be portable, edible all the way to the last bite, and slightly dangerous if you hesitate.

Most people know the legend. The hot day at the 1904 St. Louis World’s Fair. The ice cream vendor who ran out of dishes. The waffle maker next door who rolled a pastry and changed history. It is a great story, neat and cheerful and easy to remember.

It is also only part of the truth.

The real story of the ice cream cone runs through public health scares, immigrant street vendors, broken glass, stolen cups, patent filings, and industrial machinery. It is a story about necessity more than inspiration, and about how ordinary people solved problems long before anyone thought to celebrate them.