The following is an excerpt from our official history book, Turkey Hill: A Family Vision. To purchase your own copy, visit our online store.
In 1954, when Turkey Hill began making ice cream commercially, home delivered ice cream was added to the business as well. Although ice cream deliverymen did many of the same tasks as milk deliverymen, their routes were more flexible. Because ice cream stayed fresh longer than milk, it was delivered once a week from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Ice cream routes were laid out so the deliverymen could go into the country at the beginning of the week, and then into Lancaster City and the surrounding towns on the weekend when more people were at home. These routes could also be modified if, for instance, a holiday occurred on a weekday.
Although there were over 15 ice cream routes by 1957, Turkey Hill Diary hired a salesman to go door-to-door and solicit new sales. With the addition of new customers, ice cream routes continued to be added at a steady pace. By 1962, there were 33 ice cream routes serving Lancaster, York and other surrounding counties.
The booming economy in the 1960s led to more consumers owning automobiles as the percentage of working women grew. Supermarkets opened throughout the region, and families now conveniently shopped for their grocery needs in one place. This increased mobility, coupled with few stay-at-home moms, made families less dependent on home deliveries. Soon thereafter, Turkey Hill began shifting it focus from home delivery to wholesale deliveries to grocery stores and convenience stores.
Tags: ice cream, turkey hill
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If you’ve got a technical question about the ice cream making process or some other inquiry about the nuances of America’s favorite treat, chances are Ernie has the answer. He might not be able to answer all questions, but he’ll try his best and some may be featured on the Ice Cream Journal.
For that home-delivered ice cream they must have used dry ice to keep it from melting. I still wouldn’t want to be the last one on the delivery list. The ice cream may be soft but at least it would be Turkey Hill.
Here on L.I. NY we have ice-cream trucks that sell ice cream bars . They are expensive and nothing like Turkey Hill ice cream. That must have been great having ice cream delivery from Turkey Hill. Can’t get any better then the simple pleasures in life– Turkey Hill ice cream and Lancaster Pa.
I wish someone would bring ice cream to my doorstep…I’d never have to leave the house!
well to say… my kids would be so happy… my daughter. would like it the most… i have a hard time she hates to drink milk.. she’s 15 know when it come to ice cream it’s a whole different story. she’ll have all day,,,,
When I was little, we had the ice cream man that came around in a truck with a bell on it letting us know that he is here. I love that sound of the bell.
I don’t see that any more.That was a very good story. Thank You turekey Hill for that story.
Luckily, I still consider myself to be the blessed recipient of home-delivery, or at least close enough to it, since there’s a Turkey Hill just a stone’s throw from my house 1 block up the street! Woot! Easy ice cream access at midnight!
Great business marketing !!
Great story…keep them coming!!
FYI-we love the Jr Mints Feature Flavor..even my teens asked for more!! The mint flavor is very suttle…great job TH!!
Work delivery sounds like a great idea. Too bad any type of delivery would no longer be cost effective.
Oh boy, wouldn’t that be great to have
ice cream delivered to your door. I don’t
think that ever happened in NJ.
Great idea, Honey (Dan’s wife)
I was born a couple decades too late! If I knew someone would be delivering Turkey Hill ice cream to my door, I’d schedule my life around the delivery schedule!!!! I can’t count the number of times I drove to the store soley for the purpose of getting ice cream!
I have never heard of ice cream delivery. I remember soda, milk, vegatables, bread, but never ice cream. I think its a great idea. There are ice cream trucks that come around ringing their bell after dinner in the summer, but the ice cream is really not that good and it is expensive. Thank you for the history on Turkey Hill!
I love the history lessons about TH ice cream. You’ve brought back a lot of good memories.
Moved to Elizabethtown in 1969, after TH icecream delivery trucks. Lived in Scranton previously, had our own Burshels and Woodlawn creameries and their ice cream, but not delivered. I’ll take Turkey Hill anytime, glad I live close to several Turkey Hill stores and it is carried in all our local grocery stores. Thanks
We had Milk Delivery when I was growing up but never heard of Ice Cream Delivery. We go to the local Wegmans for TH!
Home delivery, oh boy, I would never get any exercise!
Wow, ice cream was delivered. The only delivery of ice cream I remember is the ice cream truck, ringing it’s bell for the kids. Great information Turkey Hill
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My dad was a teacher, and in the summer he delivered milk and ice cream. Yum!
I would totally be a fan of ice cream home delivery now. I loved when the ice cream truck would come to the neighborhood as a kid, but that was only like once every few weeks, and i would only get one snack at a time and when I was craving ice cream it would never be in the freezer. You can order pizza or fried chicken when you have a craving so I think ice cream should come in delivery. And in an ice cream truck so it doesn’t melt. I know sometimes you can tag it onto a pizza order but they don’t keep it cold on the way over so it melts. I would definitely benefit from hoem delivery because I didn’t have a car of my own up until this year either.
WOW..THIS A GREAT HISTORY LESSON. SURE
GLAD IT’S IN OUR NY STORES.
I have always enjoyed history but it is especially fun to read about the history of ice cream and ice cream that is made locally.
This article was very interesting. I learned something new. I never knew that ice cream was delivered.
How nice would it be if Turkey Hill was delivered to my door!
Like someone said earlier, we can get our pizza vice at any time, why not ice cream also?
Bring it back!
To my knowledge, here in upstate NY we have one company who to this day delivers icecream and other frozen foods. I personally do not order from them because I do not eat their brand of icecream – it’s not Turkey Hill…if it was, I would be all over it!
Here in rural PA there are dairies that still deliver, but Turkey Hill is the best!
Our neighborhood in MA never had home ice cream delivery, but did have delivery of potato chips and pretzels. Our neighborhood here in CT still has daily (and sometimes “more than once” daily) ice cream trucks, with that alluring bell replaced by a very grating sing-song melody. It does the job, though—kids come running.
Our family’s much-told ice cream truck story involved my brother-in-law, a third child who followed pretty “challenging” older siblings. When he was at his peak ice cream hunger age, he took advantage of his parents’ exhaustion one very hot day and sold them on an idea to prevent his constant interruptions to ask for money for the ice cream truck. Soon, he was treating all his friend in the neighborhood, since he’d actually managed to get them to agree to letting him run up a tab at with the very willing ice cream man. I think it only took a few of those weekly bills for his parents to catch on and curb his generosity!
Great history lesson & a look back at a different time ( not so long ago).
Wow , a door to door ice cream salesman.
As a stay-at-home mom I would still love having the luxury of home delivery.
Wow! How the times have changed.
Wow, wouldn’t that have been a luxury, having ice cream delivered right to your door…..times sure have changed…
Growing up in Elizabethtown in the 1960’s, I remember the Turkey Hill ice cream truck coming to our house. When I moved to western PA in the 70’s, I was disappointed that Turkey Hill ice cream wasn’t sold anywhere. Fortunately that changed when a Turkey Hill convenience store was opened in a nearby town. Now we enjoy Turkey Hill ice cream every day all year round!
Oh I am so lucky I have a Turkey Hill Store about 1\4 mile from my home. I can save the gas and walk there for my favorite treat (Turkey Hill). Linda
I work for schwans and to let everybody know I eat turkey hill Ice cream also. they have a super product at a good price.
Unfortunately I live outside of the Turkey Hill delivery jurisdiction – in Ocala, Florida. I have for years now, been hoping and praying that some day soon a store near by would eventually start receiving Turkey Hill ice cream…But, so far, and to my diappointment this has not materialized. Is there any way that I can receive your product via UPS or FedEX?? I am primarily interested; and, addicted, to your premium ice cream flavors of peanut butter ripple and choc. peanut butter cup. I would appreciate your comments…Thanks
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