The Ice Box

When I was five years old I became aware of the Ice-Box.  This was an insulated box with two over and under compartments.  The top compartment was for a  block of  ice and the bottom compartment was for any food that required cooling, (such as milk and meat), during the hot summer months.

A block of ice was placed in the top compartment.  The cold from the ice would seep down into the lower compartment and keep the food somewhat cool.  If care was taken to keep the doors to the ice-box closed, the ice would last about a week.

The ice was provided by an "ice man" who delivered ice once a week during the summer.  The ice in Vernal was provided by Calder's Creamery Co.  They had a two or three acre pond that provided the ice. Because
of the cold winters this pond would freeze during the winter and this ice would be two or three feet thick. Sometime in late February each year, large pieces of the ice was harvested by a crew of "ice cutters."  The ice was then stored in a large barn-type building and each layer of the ice was covered by six inches of sawdust.  Eventually, this ice was then cut into smaller pieces and delivered to homes during the hot summer.

My mother was quite proud of her ice-box.  One time her brother had stopped by to visit and mother was explaining how it functioned.  When she was through, the brother said I've got an ice box at my house.  Her name is Neva; she's built just like your box and she's just as cold.

Mother explained to me later that her brother and Neva didn't get along too well.