@ Tim: Turns out there may not be a "short answer"...stay tuned!

Long answer - Charles Sonntag was born in 1869, his shop opened no earlier than 1893. There is documented evidence of the sundae already being sold in 1892, at least one year earlier than Sonntags shop even existed, in Ithaca, NY. Was Charles Sonntag a time-traveler?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sundae#Ithaca.2C_New_York_in_1892

Here is a story right here on Patch, that you wrote by the way, that lays out more details of the timeline;
http://plainfield.patch.com/articles/lambert-plainfield-s-tie-to-1960s-television
"However, the ice cream sundae was sold at Two Rivers, Wisconsin as early as 1881; at Evanston, Illinois in 1890; and at Ithaca, New York by May 1892. "
Did you forget your own writings of local history for the purposes of plugging an upcoming show that you are in?

Michael, I don't need a TV show to tell me that there are no documented facts to support the plainfield 'claim'. No year is given with it, and it is nothing more than a local rumor spread by word of mouth. I know Patch is attached at the hip with publishing rumors, but there is absolutely zero documented evidence for this claim, and quite a bit of historical fact established for other towns, that proves it to be false.

By the logic in this story, the following would be a valid statement;
Lambert has part of its roots in German, part of it translates into 'land'. Therefore, it is possible that the Lambert family invented land.

Sounds silly, doesn't it.

George, the question was not 'Did plainfield have a role in the current incarnation of the ice cream sundae?'

The question is 'Was the Ice Cream Sundae invented in Plainfield'

Perhaps if Patch didn't publish so many factually incorrect stories, I wouldn't have to knock them down. You may think it is 'amusing', but this tendency to rumors has a negative impact on the community. How quickly we all forget why the last editor is no longer working here... after posting rumor after rumor about a local business, that all turned out to be false. It didn't change the amount of people who were suddenly asking legitimate business owners if these negative rumors were true, and it didn't stop the ones who didn't speak up to ask from just avoiding the business all together until it finally closed up shop.

Publishing rumors as if they are facts, is harmful to the community as a whole. And if I have the verified evidence to prove them wrong, I will speak up every single time and provide the sources to prove it.

Tim,

It's fine if you want to knock down rumors, but wikipedia isn't what I consider verified evidence. The news article, from my interpretation, is a fluff (All major news reports fluff) piece informing the community about a PBS Special. They weren't making the statement that it was true, but that it had a possible role and will be filmed as such in the PBS Special.

"Did a Lockport Street druggist come up with the creamy creation?"

"But the village does have one fact on its side in the battle to claim ownership of the ice cream treat. The name of the druggist, Sonntag, just happens to be the German word for “Sunday,” Lambert said."

The story most certainly does give the impression or possibility that it was invented here.

I expect sensationalism from Patch. I do not expect the local historical society to participate in sensationalism to plug an appearance on a TV show.