There is nothing like a snowball to beat the heat on a Baltimore summer day. Handmade snowballs could be readily found around Baltimore as early as the 1850s and 20th century machines helped further popularize the confection of shaved ice and flavored syrup that’s often topped with marshmallow.
Not to be confused with other shaved ice treats like Japan’s kakigori, Hawaii’s shave ice, Mexico’s raspados or New Orleans’ sno-balls, which use finer shavings and are more likely to be drizzled with condensed milk than marshmallow, Baltimore’s snowballs have attained a cultural importance that transcends the mere need to beat the heat. So, how did they get so big here?
Mary Branch of West Baltimore tries to cool off during a heat wave with a banana-flavored snowball from a stand at the corner of W. Baltimore St. and N. Fulton Ave. in July 1999. (Amy Davis/Staff)
1. Climate
While the other factors are what make Baltimore snowballs special, the demand generated by the region’s hot and humid summers can’t be discounted. A cold climate Baltimore would probably be bigger on coffee or casseroles no matter how tasty, affordable or fun a snowball is.
2. Transportation
Whatever flavors or toppings you favor, ice forms the basis of every snowball. Before modern refrigeration, ice had to be harvested, stored and shipped. Legend says that Baltimore children gleaned ice from carts or trains as it was transported into town or through the city on its way down the East Coast. Residents then would flavor the chips and chunks at home, with the staples of eggs, sugar and vanilla making egg custard an enduring favorite.
3. Regulation
Sometimes called “hard time sundaes” or “penny sundaes,” snowballs were especially popular during the Great Depression. Though a rash of stands in residential areas drew complaints, Mayor Howard W. Jackson resisted any pressure for a crackdown, saying “some of us may be down to eating snowballs soon and I don’t want to put any limitations on the trade,” according to a July 27, 1932, Sun article. Today, city snowball stands are required to have permits and are regulated by Baltimore’s heath department.
4. Entrepreneurship
Without minimizing the hustle of generations of snowball stand operators, the business acumen of one salesman turned inventor helped solidify Baltimore’s place as a snowball capital. Seeing the local potential of an electric ice shaving machine that its Texas inventor envisioned selling to bars and that sold poorly virtually everywhere except Baltimore, Dave Davison ended up buying the patent and establishing the Sno-Master Manufacturing Co. in Baltimore in the 1930s. He made several improvements, patenting a machine himself, so snowballs could be made faster and with a more consistent texture. For established retailers looking for a new revenue stream or entrepreneurs seeking a business opportunity or money for a big item like a car or college, the technology made snowballs that much more attractive.
Have a story idea about Baltimore or Maryland history or a question that might lead to one? Email researcher Paul McCardell at pmccardell@baltsun.com.