cris cheek, Cleveland

Ice was harvested in Akron in the 1880s by ice farmers promising ‘a superior class’ of ice

A superior glass, stripped from ponds under contract to reap Summit Lake, White Pond, Black Pond and Crystal Lake

Once the ice got to be 8-10″ thick, blocks 22″ by 22″ were marked out by plow, cut and moved to storage in nearby ice houses by an endless chain conveyor, before becoming planed and stored. Ice cakes were packed onto a 2″ bed of wild hay or straw.

One American Dream is of ice automatically tumbling into one’s glass of water like there’s fever in the funk house now

Ice created in the house, not brought into the house

Ice harvesting paved the skids for the modern

But the increased population introduced germs and sewage one source into the ponds and lakes that were preserved in the ice served at the tables of those who could afford it

cris