Get A Taste Of Nebraska History At This Legendary Soda Fountain
By Delana Lefevers|Published April 06, 2019
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Delana Lefevers
Author
As a lifelong Nebraskan, Delana loves discovering the many hidden treasures of her state. She has worked as a writer and editor since 2007. Delana's work has been featured on more than a dozen websites and in Nebraska Life Magazine.
If you’ve ever shopped for packaged ice cream, you probably will have seen a flavor called Tin Roof Sundae. The combination of vanilla, chocolate, fudge, marshmallow and peanuts is irresistibly delicious. But did you know that the flavor was invented right here in Nebraska? Even better, you can still visit the very soda counter where it was conceived.
Potter Sundry has been around since 1914, feeding the tiny town of Potter a variety of sweet treats. It has been a center of town activity for generations.
Sometime in the 1930s a part-time soda jerk began scooping ingredients into a soda glass. A scoop of chocolate ice cream, a scoop of vanilla, hot fudge, warm marshmallow cream, and a generous scoop of skin-on, salted Spanish peanuts went into this creative concoction. "Pinky" Thayer, son of owner James Earl Thayer, had unknowingly created a legend.
Many people believe that the name of the iconic sundae came from the beautiful tin roof that graced the Potter Sundry at the time. Over the course of the coming decades, that roof would be obscured by a drop ceiling. Restoration of the historic building brought back the stunning tin tiles in 2010.
This is without a doubt the kind of place where you should get dessert first. You've got to taste this delectable treat right at the very counter at which it was created. Something about the history of the soda fountain makes the sundaes here taste even better than anywhere else.
If you manage to still be hungry after downing the big 10 oz. sundae, dig in to the Potter Sundry's varied menu. Choose from classic dishes like chicken fried steak...
Specials rotate through the menu daily, and if you're within driving distance you'll want to make the trip as often as you can. The food is hearty and home-cooked, so even if Potter isn't your hometown you'll still feel like you're coming home every time you dine here.
And if, for some reason, you aren't a fan of ice cream, there are always other delicious sweet selections available. We really do recommend the sundae, but honestly, all of the desserts are yummy.
Stop by Potter Sundry to try the original Tin Roof Sundae at 324 Chestnut St, Potter, NE 69159. Visit the restaurant’s Facebook page to keep up with specials and more.
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