Maine Public TV Air Times:
Thur., January 31 at 10:00 pm
Sat., February 2 at 11:00 am
During the 19th century, before mechanical ice making was perfected and later replaced by modern refrigeration, harvesting natural ice was big business in New England. Ice was cut in the winter and stored in ice houses to allow for year round distribution. Early harvesters used hand saws on frozen ponds and streams while later, gasoline powered saws were used.
This is a compilation of ice cutting from the film collection of Northeast Historic Film. Both small and commercial ice operations are featured. Scenes from New Britain, Connecticut, Massachusetts, and Newburgh, New York round out extensive footage from Rumford, Bangor, Hiram, Rockland, Searsport, Otisfield, Palermo, Presque Isle and South Portland, Maine. Trains being filled with ice to ship fresh produce are featured as are horse and truck-drawn snowplows and other winter scenes. There is also newly discovered narration by Everett Johnson in which he describes his own footage that appears in Ice Harvesting Sampler, produced by Northeast Historic Film in 1994.
Commentary by Dennis Picard, a professional New England historian who has also shared his vast knowledge with many visitors to Old Sturbridge Village, Hancock Shaker Village and Storrowton Village Museum
Harvesting Ice in New England 1926-1957 is available thru Northeast Historic Film.