Ice was the second largest export from the U.S. in the 19th century (Cotton was #1). Local ponds were the source of ice for summer food preservation. The heavy, plowlike implement was dragged across the ice by a horse to score the ice for sawing into regular-sized blocks, which were then floated to the icehouse, using the long-handled pikes. The ice storage house was really a barn within a barn, with 3 feet of sawdust and hay between the inner and outer walls. Ice could be shipped south and even to India and the East Indies in insulated ships.

The iceman came regularly about 3 times a week to people's homes.How the kids used to stand around the wagon to catch ice chips to suck on. It was usually the boy's chore to keep the icemelt tray emptied. Forgetting to do this meant washing the kitchen.