for some of your vernor history needs:
http://www.wowway.com/~vernors/history.htm

The history of the Boston Cooler has some conflicts. One story says that Mr. Saunders invented the drink at his store on the east side of Woodward Ave near Boston Blvd.

The other story, and the one I like better, is that the drink was invented during Prohibtion by Grandpa Vernor for his grandchildren. According to legend, there was a milk man who delivered to the Vernor household. In his wagon he carried Strohs Ice Cream [[Strohs had to give up brewing beer and changed their fire-brewed kettles over to ice cream production). James Vernor Sr. lived on Grosse isle but would visit the grandkids in Detroit. During one summer visit in 1921 the milkman and Grandpa Vernor delevoped a friendship and between the two of them they concocted the mixture of Strohs vanilla ice cream and Vernors Ginger Ale.

It was called a Boston Cooler because the house was on Boston Blvd.