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Ice companies hired a seasonal local workforce to help harvest the ice that formed on lakes at the end of each winter. Some of these workers might also help delivery the ice to houses and businesses across the city in the summer.

Hot water was a byproduct of manufacturing at American Steel and Wire which was dumped into Salisbury Pond in the winter of 1899-1900. When the hot water damaged the ice crop at Salisbury Pond, the Walker Ice Company sued for damages.

After using horse-drawn carts for a number of years, the Walker Ice Company switched to automobile-powered ice delivery, which increased their area of service and their productivity. This image shows one of their early trucks and accompanying ice…

Walker Ice Company house and Washburn & Moen in the distance

Walker Ice Company houses at Salisbury Pond

Later renamed to the Walker Coal and Ice Company, this company was the only company to commercially operate at Salisbury Pond in Institute Park. Walker Ice Company acquired multiple other local ice companies over the years, and was eventually…

Walker Coal and Ice Company Office

Workers and horses harvesting ice on Salisbury Pond.

Ice houses belonging to the Walker Ice Company at Salisbury Pond, with Washburn & Moen in the distance.

Blocks of ice being loaded into an ice house by conveyor at Coes Pond. Snow along the shore has been used to flood the pond.