The Jersey Mud sundae is said to have originated in New York State. The story goes that B. Clarke Morse,Jr. married Katherine Miller in May 1920 and they took a honeymoon trip to New York City. There they tried an ice cream treat called a “Jersey Mud” . Later that summer they came to Cedarville, MI to visit family at the Les Cheneaux Club. During their visit the young couple went to the Bon Air in Cedarville, a popular local bar , sundries shop and ice cream parlor. George LaFleur who worked at the Bon Air at the time inquired of the couple what was new in New York? They told him about the “Jersey Mud” sundae. He asked them just how the “Mud” was made and it soon became a featured item on the menu at the Bon Air.
The Jersey Mud’s beginnings in New York City have been eclipsed by its popularity in the Les Cheneaux area. The Bon Air closed in the 1990’s and it’s building demolished in 2015, but the Jersey Mud remains a famous and delicious fixture.