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Ice cutting is a winter task of collecting surface ice from lakes and rivers for storage in ice houses and use or sale as a cooling method. Rare today, it was common (see ice trade) before the era of widespread mechanical refrigeration and air conditioning technology. [1]
The ice trade, also known as the frozen water trade, was a 19th-century and early 20th-century industry, centering on the east coast of the United States and Norway, involving the large-scale harvesting, transport and sale of natural ice, and later the making and sale of artificial ice, for domestic consumption and commercial purposes.
Jun 8, 2023 · Natural ice was harvested from frozen bodies of water, such as lakes and rivers, during the winter months when the ice was thick enough to support the weight of workers and equipment. The harvested ice was cut into large blocks and stored in ice houses, insulated structures designed to maintain the ice’s integrity.
Feb 26, 2020 · Rebecca Conley/Maine Public. Ice harvesting was a thriving industry in the 19th century, employing tens of thousands of workers in New England alone. Big blocks of ice were removed with...
- Susan Sharon
Feb 4, 2022 · The huge blocks of ice carved from Walden Pond—and other lakes and ponds in Massachusetts—were expertly packed in sawdust and sent on ships around the world to warmer climates. Ice was treated as a crop, a short-lived product that was strategically cultivated and harvested.
Feb 6, 2020 · Recently, visitors sawed through the crust of a frozen pond and floated giant blocks through a channel using tools from a century ago. After clamping a block with an ice tong attached to a...
In the 19th century, ice was harvested using a method known as natural ice harvesting. This process typically involved cutting ice from frozen bodies of water such as lakes and ponds during the winter months. Strong, thick ice was chosen for harvesting, often reaching a depth of several feet.
