Saturday, September 19, 2026

Question: Which Colorado town claims to be the birthplace of the root beer float?

Answer: Cripple Creek. According to local legend, Frank J. Wisner, owner of the Cripple Creek Brewing Company, invented the drink in 1893 after observing that the snow-capped peak of Cow Mountain looked like vanilla ice cream floating in soda. He named the drink the “Black Cow Mountain,” which kids later shortened to “Black Cow”. Despite the claim, historians say archival records lack proof that Wisner invented the drink in Cripple Creek.