The other night my sister and I were watching a movie. It took place during the time of Cowboys and Indians. There was one scene in the movie where an ice wagon rolled by. Almost at the same moment my sister and I asked each other how they made ice back then. The days before refrigeration. Neither of us knew the answer. So I did a little research on the subject and the answer is ice houses. After looking it up I feel like I should have known that already. An ice house, 
for those of you like me who don't already know, is a building that stores ice. During the winter when ponds and lakes froze over people would pack ice houses with snow and ice from the frozen water. The houses were most often built very close to a natural water source to make hauling ice an easier job. To keep all the ice from melting they would insulate the house with either straw or sawdust. They were also partially built underground which helped to keep the temperature low. It was so well insulated and so full of ice the building stayed very cold. Usually the ice would keep frozen until the next winter and people would have plenty of ice all summer long. Ice houses also served as refrigerators, holding perishable foods along with all the ice.
for those of you like me who don't already know, is a building that stores ice. During the winter when ponds and lakes froze over people would pack ice houses with snow and ice from the frozen water. The houses were most often built very close to a natural water source to make hauling ice an easier job. To keep all the ice from melting they would insulate the house with either straw or sawdust. They were also partially built underground which helped to keep the temperature low. It was so well insulated and so full of ice the building stayed very cold. Usually the ice would keep frozen until the next winter and people would have plenty of ice all summer long. Ice houses also served as refrigerators, holding perishable foods along with all the ice. 
Some of the earliest ice houses were made around the time of Alexander the Great. However, they were only holes dug deep into snow. One of the earliest actual ice houses was built in Iran in 1700 BC. The ice house was inscribed with the words "which never before any king built".
As time moved on ice houses began to take shape. This domed house was built in Florence. Ice houses were not introduced to Britain until the late 1600s. And even then their ice houses were very primitive and didn't' work well.
In the 1930s right here in Texas people began to use ice houses to store beer and groceries. They served as the first convenience stores. Soon these ice houses became gathering place for people and eventually turned into today's version of the icehouse, a bar.
Aren't we thankful for refrigerators?
Until next time,
Juliana.
The only reason I knew what it was is because they talk about one in the book "Farmer Boy"!
ReplyDeleteOh yes very thankful!
ReplyDeleteBut I think it would be fun to still have ice wagons!!!
Cooooooooooooooooooool post :)
ReplyDeleteHaha. Ain't she funny. ^^^
ReplyDelete