Latrobe bananas for historic marker noting birthplace of frozen treat
Two descendants of Dr. David Strickler, inventor of the banana split, watched from amid the crowd gathered in Latrobe to debut a historical marker from the state recognizing the late pharmacist's achievement.
Strickler's great-great nieces, Annette Gustafson, 52, of Waterville, Ohio, and her sister Janet Sroczynski, 64, of Walbridge, Ohio, said they intend to defend the designation, even though a town in their home state disputes that claim.
“It's going to be an ongoing battle, even though you have a plaque going up,” Gustafson said. “I'll keep the battle going.”
The ceremony recognized the ice cream treat created by Strickler in 1904 when he was an apprentice pharmacist at Tassell Pharmacy on Ligonier Street.
Latrobe City Manager Alex Graziani praised the creativity, innovation and entrepreneurship of Strickler in his opening remarks to community members and St. Vincent College freshmen clad in yellow T-shirts for the event.
“Just think, in 1904 a young man wanted to impress the girls who came into the pharmacy, to the counter, came up with a dessert with this newfangled banana thing that came via the Pennsylvania Railroad into wonderful Latrobe, and, from that, it caught on,” Graziani said.
Sen. Kim Ward, R-Hempfield, and state Rep. Joe Petrarca, D-Washington Township, presented the city with proclamations, as did U.S. Rep. Tim Murphy, R-Upper St. Clair, who concluded a poem he wrote for the occasion: “Raise high your spoons in celebration for this treat known all over the globe, from May to September grab a scoop and remember that it all started here in Latrobe.”
After past attempts failed, Pennsylvania Historical & Museum Commission officials in April said Latrobe earned the marker because of thorough documentation and uniqueness of the request and location.
Markers are meant not only for battles and war heroes, but also as recognition of Pennsylvania's culture, said commissioner Jean Craige Pepper Victor after the unveiling.
“The state is very proud to be commemorating the invention of the banana split, and we're thrilled it's turned into such a marvelous celebration,” she said.
A representative from Dole Fresh Fruits said that enthusiasm was one of the reasons why the company was helping sponsor the festival.
“We just saw how passionate and excited everyone was about bananas and the unique history in Latrobe,” said corporate communications director William Goldfield.
Latrobe native and golf legend Arnold Palmer told the crowd he survived Latrobe High School on banana splits.
“I'm so old now, I don't buy green bananas,” he said before leading the countdown to unveil the blue and yellow marker planted in the sidewalk.
Daughter-in-law of “Dr. Dave,” Nell Strickler, 87, of Latrobe said the late optometrist would have been thrilled to see the recognition more for Latrobe than for himself.
“He would be amazed, amazed, absolutely amazed,” she said.
Stacey Federoff is a staff writer for Trib Total Media. She can be reached at 724-836-6660 or sfederoff@tribweb.com.
