Happy President's Day Jefferson & Monroe: You Served During the Soda Fountain Invention Era
- Feb 17
- 2 min read
Updated: Feb 21
The first soda fountain in the United States is generally traced to the early 19th century, with the key milestone being the first U.S. patent for a soda fountain apparatus granted in 1819 to physician Samuel Fahnestock. His invention was a barrel-shaped device with a pump and spigot for dispensing carbonated water (often hidden under a counter in pharmacies or shops, where such drinks were sold for supposed health benefits).
Soda Fountain Invention
However, the popularization and operation of early soda fountains began slightly earlier. Around 1806–1809, Yale chemistry professor Benjamin Silliman introduced and sold carbonated mineral waters using imported apparatus in New Haven, Connecticut. He expanded by building a larger setup, opening a pump room, and partnering to establish soda fountains in New York City and Baltimore, Maryland (around 1807–1810). These are among the earliest documented commercial soda fountains in America.
In 1819 (patent year): James Monroe was President (served 1817–1825).
Around 1806–1810 (earliest operations by Silliman and contemporaries): Thomas Jefferson was President (1801–1809), followed by James Madison (1809–1817).
The consensus from historical sources points to the early 1800s, most specifically tied to Silliman's soda fountain invention starting in 1806 (under President Thomas Jefferson) or the 1819 patent (under President James Monroe). The "first" depends on whether you emphasize the initial commercial sales/operations or the first patented dispenser, but Jefferson's term aligns with the pioneering efforts that brought soda fountains to the public. Soda fountains exploded in popularity later (e.g., marble designs in the 1850s–1860s), but the origins are firmly in the Jefferson/Monroe era.
A special shout-out from UNION Bar & Soda Fountain to Presidents Jefferson & Monroe on this President's Day!
FUN NOTE: UNION Bar & Soda Fountain is located at 250 Jefferson St, Fort Collins, CO. Coincidence?
