We usually think of the word "harvesting" as being applied to something that grows. In the case of ice, however, it applied to something that forms as a result of freezing weather. For many years ice was used as a coolant and as a means of preserving perishable food products.
Before ice was made artificially it was harvested at all towns and centers of population along the Cedar River, the Little Cedar River and the Wapsipinicon River. In the southern part of the county Rock Creek was a source of supply, particularly at Meroa where large amounts were used in the creamery. Deer Creek in the western part of the county also was a source of excellent ice.
Until the 1920's, when electric or heat powered refrigerators first came into general use, many farm homes had their own icehouses. These were usually filled in the wintertime by hauling the ice from some river or stream where it was being harvested on a commercial basis. If an individual had the necessary equipment of tongs, saws, splitters and tackle he could harvest his own ice.
During the hot period of the year people in the towns of the county were supplied with ice by the icemen who delivered it from the central icehouse to the family icebox, on a commercial basis. The conventional icebox will be remembered as an insulated box standing in the kitchen or some conveniently located room, with a compartment in the top for a block of ice, and a compartment for the storage of food underneath. Provision was made for the water to drain off as the ice melted.
The harvesting of ice became an important and a rather extensive industry during the winter season. A typical example would be filling of one of the icehouses at Mitchell. It was located on the bank of the Cedar River, above the dam in the approximate area of the present park. When the river ice had attained the proper thickness, usually not less than 18 inches, it was cut into blocks or cakes. These cakes usually measured three feet in length by 18 inches in width. A saw, similar to a cross cut saw, was used to cut the ice. An ice saw, however, had only one handle and the teeth were of a different construction, adapted to ice rather than to wood.
After the cakes were cut, they were floated to shore through a narrow channel which had been cut in the ice. A chute had been built down from the icehouse to this channel. Two men, standing on either side of this channel, would then lift the cakes of ice up into the chute where it was pulled up into the icehouse by means of ropes and tackles. Inside the icehouse experienced men would pack the cakes of ice in layers. Each layer of ice was covered with several inches of sawdust. This covering, together with the fact that the building was double boarded and insulated, kept the ice from melting when warm weather arrived. When the ice was removed it was taken from the top first.
If the icehouse were located some distance from the river or the source of supply, the ice was loaded on low sleighs and hauled to the icehouse to be filled. When the ice was to be loaded the cakes were sometimes drawn up on the bank by horses operating from the shore. Ice companies made a business of harvesting ice for their own needs and also to fill the icehouses of private individuals, creameries, stores, hotels and others.
A well remembered sight in the summertime was to see the ice wagon moving down the street stopping at every home where ice was needed, and a group of boys and girls following to retrieve pieces of ice dropped by the iceman.
Reproduced with the approval of the Mitchell County Historical Society; from THE STORY OF MITCHELL COUNTY 1851-1973.
Transcribed in August 2002 by: Neal Du Shane
Contact information:
HARVESTING ICE MASTER MCHS.doc