Before refrigeration, keeping things cold meant waiting for winter, cutting up a frozen lake, packing it in sawdust, and hoping a lot of it survived the boat ride.
And even after refrigeration was invented, for a long time there were iceboxes in homes because early freezing tech was mostly available on really large scales. So someone else would freeze the ice and bring the blocks to you. (Hence the title.)
Also, many early installations used butane or ammonia as the refrigerant, so better in industrial neighborhoods.
There is only one dedicated ice house remaining in Boston MA proper. If you're in the area and need a big block of ice, the place to go is Artic Glacier Premium Ice. They started in1882, just 76 years after Mr. Tudor established the commercial ice business. They didn't have ice harvesters though.
And even after refrigeration was invented, for a long time there were iceboxes in homes because early freezing tech was mostly available on really large scales. So someone else would freeze the ice and bring the blocks to you. (Hence the title.)
Also, many early installations used butane or ammonia as the refrigerant, so better in industrial neighborhoods.
And a great boon to a steady, safe food supply was created. Refrigeration was one of the most important advances on the last 150 years.
There is only one dedicated ice house remaining in Boston MA proper. If you're in the area and need a big block of ice, the place to go is Artic Glacier Premium Ice. They started in1882, just 76 years after Mr. Tudor established the commercial ice business. They didn't have ice harvesters though.