Before refrigerators were common, iceboxes were used. In Oregon, it was Edward and Ernest Culp who cut ice during the winter months from Lake Harriet, just west of Oregon. The ice was stored in an icehouse near the lake, and the blocks were packed in sawdust and straw. When summer arrived the village customers would display a sign indicating the size block of ice they needed that day. The ice wagon would come and cut the ice to the size requested by the customer.
See more interesting information and photos about Ice Harvesting in Wisconsin.