Turnback Tuesday is visiting a "cooler" time in history. This is a photo of men cutting ice on the Housatonic River, which was an early form of refrigeration. The ice cutter was also called a "plow." Ideally, the ice was at least 14 inches thick.
After harvesting these blocks from the river, the ice was stored in "Ice Houses," then purchased by businesses and the public.
A perfect example of an ice box is located at the Osborne Estate in Derby. This fabulous photo was a recent donation from Norman Hayden.
Thanks as always to the Derby Public Library staff for sharing interesting local history each week!
