Ice House

From the Leelanau Enterprise

Before electricity and refrigerators kept food cool and safe, men toiled long hours "harvesting" ice form lakes and rivers in the winter to use during warmer months. Most harvested ice in January, February and early March. The work was done with tools found on any farm. Small operations used a saw, ax, ice tongs and a few men. An average block was 24 inches long and wide, about 12 inches thick and weighed between 125 and 175 lb. Workers would take the blocks to a specially designed "ice House" where they would be stacked on top of insulating sawdust. Sawdust would be packed around the sides and on top of the ice pile before the ice houses were sealed shut. These buildings had well ventilated eaves. Many had the sheathing or walls on the inside so that they wouldn't "pop" off from the pressure of the ice and sawdust packed inside.