“Crystal Products of the Frost King:” Ice Harvesting and the Natural Ice Industry in New England

Photo: The PA & HD Crombie Klondike Ice Company was located on Freshwater Pond in the Thompsonville section of Enfield. An unidentified worker, Peter A. Crombie, Sr., and Francis Crombie Sr., at age 11, are collecting ice on Freshwater Pond in this circa 1915 photo. North Main Street is in the background.

Dennis Picard will present “Crystal Products of the Frost King:” Ice Harvesting and the Natural Ice Industry in New England, hosted by the Enfield Historical Society.

The commercial harvesting of ice from New England’s ponds and lakes for export began in the first decade of the 19th century.  By the end of that century ice harvesting was the 9th largest industry in the United States employing tens of thousands of workers in New England alone and producing hundreds of thousands of tons of block ice annually.
 
Dennis Picard has been demonstrating the ice harvesting trade for more than twenty years at museums and environmental education centers.  He is also a frequent speaker on the ice industry for libraries, museums and universities. He will share the interesting tale of this once massive enterprise that is now fading from our collective memory. Antique ice harvesting tools from the collection of the Enfield Historical Society will be on display at the talk.

This FREE presentation is open to the public.  Anyone with an interest in Enfield history is welcome to attend.
Donations are appreciated.

The Enfield Historical Society is an all-volunteer non-profit organization that has preserved and shared Enfield’s history for more than 60 years.  New members are always needed and greatly appreciated.  Everyone is welcome.  You don’t need to be a historian or Enfield native to join.  Become a member today!