Westerville is on the map for many reasons, but one is just a little sweeter than the rest: ice cream.

Any summer evening walk through Uptown reveals the fondness Westerville has for this scoopable frozen treat. Adults and kids alike enjoy cones, sundaes and other treats on the City Hall lawn, in front of Graeter’s and at Rotary Park. But there is more to this community ice cream story.

The cream started to rise to the surface in Westerville over 120 years ago when W.B. Johnston and “Mr. Carey” started the Westerville Creamery. They began by selling cream to butter producers in Columbus. A few years later, in 1907, the creamery opened a milk condensing plant in Westerville. This marked the creamery’s instrumental role in supplying cream to ice cream manufacturers and grocery stores like Kroger.

In 2003, nearly 100 years after the opening of the Westerville Creamery, Darifill, Inc. opened its doors in Brooksedge. Darifill is responsible for the production of many of your favorite ice cream containers, including ice cream cartons, cones and sandwich wafers. Their state-of-the-art equipment produces some of the most popular frozen confections in the ice cream industry.

Throughout its history, Westerville has embraced ice cream as a successful business model and an unofficial pastime.

“Historically, Westerville's ice cream shops have been more than just a place to buy ice cream. For over a century, they've served as spaces for friends, families, students, clubs, and working professionals to gather, build a sense of community, and forge deep memories.” said Kathryn Kaslow, Museum Specialist at the Westerville Public Library.