About us

For generations, homemade ice cream was our 4th of July tradition. It started in the 1950s with Leonard Downey, a Lima Ohio mailman who turned ice-crushing into a family holiday event. With a sledgehammer and his old mail bag, the kids all took turns crushing a block of ice for pure delight. That crushed ice would then be packed around the hand-crank ice cream machine to freeze the pure and simple vanilla ice cream base that his wife, Della, had prepared.

This tradition of crushing ice in Leonard’s old mailbag with a sledgehammer to make homemade ice cream continued with his grandchildren, where it left a lasting impression on his grandson, Mike Downey. Mike continued making that same simple recipe of homemade Ice Cream every 4^th of July for his family and friends. SledgeHammer Homemade Ice Cream™ was born from this legacy, capturing the spirit of Americana.

Today, SledgeHammer embraces genuine simplicity. We use only premium ingredients, free from preservatives. Our ice cream reflects authentic flavors and American values.