Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve Podcast Library
Science:Nature
Spring Hill Ranch HQ Tour Stop 10: The Icehouse
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Tour Stop 10: The Icehouse
The Icehouse and cistern were built of native limestone in 1882. Originally, the doorway was located on the north face of the building. Placing the entrance here denies sunlight from reaching the ice. Some icehouses place the entrance several feet off the ground, because cold air flows downward. An entrance reaching the bottom would allow this cold air to escape. Eventually, this icehouse's doorway was moved to the south side to support the changing needs of the ranch and was converted to a garage.
The winters were colder in the 1800s and the Cottonwood River would freeze. There was an ice cutting factory on the river and large blocks of ice were sold. They were then carried by a wagon to the icehouse for storage and place in sawdust and prairie hay for insulation. Try to imagine the blocks of ice that could be stored in this icehouse.
This gave the Jones family access to ice the year round, a luxury for the time. The old saying, "The rich man gets his ice in the summer, and the poor man gets his ice in the winter" may very well ring true in this case.
The icehouse also supported an 11,000 gallon cistern on its east side. It collected both the natural spring water on the hill, but also any runoff from ice being melted from the icehouse, by evidence shown along the east floor of the building. Today, it is being utilized for storage.
Feel free to continue your journey along the Southwind Nature Trail to the Prairie Overlook and onward to the Schoolhouse.
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