1000 B.C. - A Means of Preserving Food
The Chinese cut and stored ice as a means of preserving food.​
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​500 B.C. - Earthenware Pots Filled with Water
Egyptians and Indians made ice on cold nights by setting out shallow earthenware pots filled with water.

​18th Century - Ice From Ponds
18th century farmers began to use and sell ice from their ponds. Ice was consumed by only the wealthy who could afford their own ice houses or by people with their own ponds. In the New England states, the demand for ice toward the end of the 18th century began to increase.

PHOTO: An illustration by A. B. Frost depicting the ice harvest in a rural community.  Even though it was cold, hard work, neighbors looked forward to this annual activity. It provided an opportunity to catch up on local gossip and do a bit of socializing.

1802 – Refrigerated Ice Box Invented
The Refrigerated Ice Box was invented by Thomas Moore.

1806 – The Beginning of the Natural Ice Trade
Frederick Tudor, aka the "Ice King", (1783-1864), known as the founder of the “Natural Ice Trade”. Tudor came from a wealthy family and instead of following in his brothers' footsteps of going to Harvard, he worked in Boston Harbor loading wooden hulled ships. He had the idea of shipping frozen water by ship.

1815 – An Ice Depot in Havana
Tudor built a functioning ice depot in Havana which could hold 150 tons of ice. During this time, Tudor began shipping ice to Southern United States including Charleston, South Carolina, Savannah, Georgia and New Orleans.

​1820s – The Unsafe Process of Ice Harvesting
The whole process of ice harvesting was incredibly unsafe. Sliding 300-400 pound blocks of ice could crush bones and break limbs. Numb hands, frigid waters, and sharp tools made the process dangerous along with drowning men and horses. Only 1/10 of ice harvested made it to sale.

​1825 – A More Efficient Way to Harvest Ice
Nathaniel Wyeth worked with Tudor to develop a more efficient way to harvest ice. Wyeth devised a new form of horse pulling ice plow that scored the ice into large grids which would triple the amount of ice harvested.

1860 – The Ice Industry Enables Consumption of "New" Products
The ice industry enabled the consumption of a wide range of “new” products: Chilled drinks, ice cream, and widespread use of medicines to be used throughout the US and the world. Ice harvesting increasingly shifted north to Maine due to warmer winters in New England.

1865 – Networking of Railroads
Improved networking of railroads helped grow the ice industry across the country to the West. A special railroad car and loading system was designed and built to transport produce.

PHOTO: Loading ice from conveyor on CH & DRR (Cincinnati, Hamilton and Dayton Railroad) cars near Sandusky, Ohio c. 1900.

1870 – The Changing Ice Industry in America
The ice industry in America was changing. Cities like New York, Baltimore and Philadelphia saw their populations exploded with immigrants during the years of 1850-1890, driving up the demand for ice. Around 1,500 wagons were needed just to deliver ice to consumers in New York.

1880 – Enormous Demand and Increasing Production
Due to the enormous demand for ice, production of artificial ice slowly began to grow. Despite this emerging competition, natural ice remained vital and the huge demand, driven by the rising living standards, drove the natural ice trade to continue to expand. The peak of the industry was estimated to employ 90,000 people using ice houses capable of storing up to 250,000 tons each.

PHOTO: Removing ice from an ice house near Lake Ontario, New York for delivery to customers mid-summer.

1890’S – Failed Hudson River Ice Harvest
The failure of the Hudson River Ice Harvest created another ice famine, leaving people scrambling for ice. The following year, the summer was cool and there was a decreased demand for ice which had a huge impact on the business and many businessmen were ruined. Competition slowly growing in the form of artificially-produced plant ice and mechanically-chilled facilities.

The Turn of the Century
As the American society grew more accustomed to fresh meats, milk, fruit, and produce, the ice industry expanded into one of the most powerful industries in the nation. At the turn of the 20th century, nearly every family, grocer, and barkeeper in America had an ice box with people posting signs in their windows letting the ice man know how much should be delivered.

​1900-1920 – Decline in the Natural Ice Trade
During these years, the natural ice trade declined due to the ice famine and the investment in new technologies. In 1914, more plant ice was being produced in the U.S. each year than naturally harvested ice. After World War I, the natural ice industry  collapsed into insignificance and the industry turned to artificial ice and mechanical cooling systems.

​1917-1945 – World Wars I and II Helped to Boost the Natural Ice Trade
The US government worked to promote the use of natural ice to relieve the burden of the shortage of ammonia and coal used in the production of artificial ice.

1920’S – Home Delivery Continues 
In the 1920s, apartment buildings were still being constructed with ice doors opening into the kitchen. Pound signs were placed in the window indicating the number of pounds of block, the house wife needed.

​1930s – Modern Refrigerators
Modern refrigerators became more common in homes due to the introduction of cheap electric motors.

​1938 – First Shockproof Air Conditioning
The first shockproof air conditioning unit was built for trucks, starting the decline of ice used to cool produce as trucks eventually replaced rail cars for transportation.

​1938 – First Commercial Automatic-Sized Ice Machine
The Henry Vogt Machine Company built the first commercial automatic sized ice machine, the Tube-Ice Machine. Prior to this, commercial ice was in block form.

1945 – The Ice Man
Some in the industry recount a long-standing rumor that during World War II, while many husbands were off at war, wives became perhaps too friendly with the accommodating ice man. They say the tremendous success of the home refrigerator was spurred by returning service men anxious to replace the icebox, and thus the ice man who delivered it.

1950 – Changes and Challenges
As the home refrigerator replaced the icebox and the ice man delivering ice, the industry would go through many struggles and challenges for decades to come: The conversion from block ice to manufactured tube ice or fragmentary ice, the conversion to poly bags from paper bags, the changing habits of American consumers, stringent new trucking regulations, and the onset of consolidation within the industry.

​1952 – First Ice Merchandiser
Leer Manufacturing introduced the first ice merchandiser to store packaged ice at retail locations.

1960s – Vending Machines
Coin-operated vending machines were introduced and grew in popularity for two decades to service retail locations.

1960s – Plastic Bags Introduced
Charlie Lamka, an ice company operator from Amarillo, Texas, invented and marketed a volumetric packaging machine that revolutionized the industry, making the change from ice packed in cumbersome paper bags to slick and colorful plastic (poly) bags. Plastic bags increased production significantly and were much easier to store and deliver. There was no going back to paper bags.

1960s – Exodus from Block Ice Manufacturing
Block ice manufacturing starts to dwindle and continues for the next 25 years. Block ice, once a luxury, then a necessity, was no longer even needed by most. In 1961, more fragmentary ice was sold than block ice.

1970s – Introduction of Glass Door Merchandisers
Most packaged ice was sold through gas stations up to this point. In the 1970s, grocery store purchasing began in conjunction with Leer’s introduction of the first glass door merchandiser. The transition to plastic packaging from paper bags is accomplished.

1980s – In-Store Baggers Introduced
These mini ice factories made the ice, packaged the ice, and dropped the bags into the merchandiser automatically. They were designed for the in-store environment and continue today.

​1980s – Home Freezers Make Ice
As home refrigerators/freezers with ice makers became increasingly common in everyday households, packaged ice was sold and used for many uses: Chilling dough in bakery products, concrete cooling, poultry icing, party consumption, picnics/outdoor activities, etc.

1984 – IIRF (Ice Industry Research Foundation)
The IIRF was formed by a group of icemen. This grant-based foundation’s mission was to research new equipment and technology appropriate to the ice industry. Ten members researched a baler bag packing machine which in a few years became the JMC Master Baler.

1990 - Automatic Packaging Rooms
Ice plants were introduced to totally automatic packaging rooms and operations from filling the bags, to closing the bags, to baling the bags, to palletizing the bags, to stretch wrapping the filled pallets and transferring them onto a roller conveyor system into the freezer storage - all without anyone handling the ice or bags.

2000 - Robotics/Software Systems
Robotics were introduced to the industry and were expanding in many ice plants. Ice safety and plant sanitation efforts and awareness increase significantly. Route management and software systems technology and computer hand-held systems technology dramatically improves and becomes widespread in the industry to improve efficiencies.

2002 – Mergers and Acquisitions/On-Premise Ice Manufacturing
Consolidation was increasing in the commercial packaged ice manufacturing industry.  The number of producers declined as expanding regional distribution and production tonnage increased. On-premise produced packaged ice manufacturing now exists and sanitation of the product is a concern.​

2010 – Artisanal and Craft Ice
Premium beverage ice began increasing in popularity in high-end bars and dining establishments. Ice is typically made on-site in a large sphere or cube form. Potable water is the ingredient, but handling and sanitation standards are questionable.

The Packaged Ice Industry in the Present
The commercial packaged ice industry is stable and growing moderately even with multiple facets of competition. Many commercial producers meet specific sanitation standards (e.g. PIQCS) in their manufacturing facilities as food safety becomes more important in the U.S.  Ice consumption is up and weather patterns continue to influence the industry sales.