History of Culver's ice houses August 27

August 17, 2011

Workers at the Medbourn ice house in Culver in the 1930s. PHOTO/ANTIQUARIAN AND HISTORICAL SOCIETY OF CULVER

The strange but fascinating history of the area “frozen water trade” will be told in word and pictures when the Antiquarian and Historical Society of Culver presents a program on the history of Culver and Lake Maxinkuckee’s ice houses. The program, presented by Jeff Kenney of the Society, will take place Saturday, August 27, at 10 a.m. at the depot-train station adjacent to Culver’s town park on Lake Shore Drive.
Between 1880 and 1937, workers in Culver harvested millions of tons per year of ice from several locations on Lake Maxinkuckee, employing hundreds and supplying ice throughout the year to communities across Indiana and beyond. In those days before electricity, ice was stored year-round in local ice houses and delivered daily to homes, as the program will explore through an audio-visual presentation.
The program is free and open to the public.