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The Ice House Museum features an outstanding display of the
items used in cutting, harvesting, storing, selling and the use of natural
ice. The 600 square foot display area for tools and implements used
to cut natural ice was completed in 1991. A large mural showing the
Cedar River in winter forms the background for a "frozen" river
where tools of the trade are displayed.
Blocks of "ice" are stacked as they would have been in the
ice house with the tools used by the men who delivered ice to homes and
businesses throughout the area.
Life-sized photos of two early ice men along with several different
types of ice-boxes, a large two-horse ice wagon, original photos and an
information panel that explains the process of cutting ice, help visitors
to understand this unusual industry that existed in almost every town in
America in the last half of the 1800's and early 1900's. A scale
model of the ice house in the early 1920's is also featured.
The kitchen highlights an ice box with an "outside" door for
ice deliveries, a coal range, pie safe, and cistern pump.
An
outhouse and other "conveniences" of that time show what life
was in the early days of the 20th century.
A horse-drawn school bus, buggies and sleighs, a 1909 Reo and 1925 Ford
auto are displayed along with early horse-drawn farm implements and
historic items from early Cedar Falls businesses. Our newest
addition to the ice house collection is a 1935 model B John Deere tractor.
Completed in 2000, an exhibit of early Cedar Falls businesses now
surround the perimeter of the ice house. Visitors can stroll down
Main Street and visit Dr. Theirman's office, the Diamond Bros. General
Store, or take a seat in the Empress Theatre.
Two slide presentations have been produced by the Cedar Falls
Historical Society Ice House Museum. They are available by
contacting the office at (319) 266-5149.
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History of the Cedar Falls Ice House..
The Cedar Falls Ice House was built in November, 1921, by Hugh Smith,
owner of the Cedar Falls Ice and Fuel Company. The first ice house
had been built in this location in 1858 near the cabin site of Black Hawk
County's first permanent settler, William Sturgis.
The old wooden ice house was destroyed by fire on the night of October
22, 1921. On that night, Smith and his wife were attending a
performance at the Cotton Theatre, (now the Regent Theatre). His son
located Smith in an aisle seat and whispered, "Papa! The ice house is
burning down!" Smith hurried to his place of business and
watched the ice
house go up in flames in less than an hour.
On October 24, 1921, The Cedar Falls Record reported: "An
expert building engineer from Chicago is en route today on a telegraphic
call from Manager Smith to assist him in drawing up plans for a
reinforced structure to replace the old frame building." The
community rallied to Smith's aid. On the Thursday following the
fire, 200 volunteers cleared the rubble, and the footings for the new ice
house were poured less than a week after the old house had burned down. A
few days later the walls of the new building were started.
The new building was 100 feet in diameter with tile walls 30 feet
high. The walls were made of hollow clay tile reinforced with
steel ties between the layers of tile. The ice house had a
capacity for 6,000 to 8,000 tons of ice.
Early on the morning of January 10, 1922, the first ice harvest for the
new ice house on the Cedar River was begun. At the close of the 1922
harvest, carpenters assembled and raised the trussed double-pitched roof
by using the top layer of blocks as a scaffold.
The building was used as an ice house from 1922 until 1934 when Hugh
Smith lost his business and the property was taken over by the Cedar Falls
Trust and Saving Bank. For a time the building was used as a
livestock sales pavilion and later flooded for ice skating.
In 1938 members of the Cedar Falls Boat Club persuaded the city to
purchase the building. Subsequently, the Club leased the structure
from the city for use as a boat storage building for the sum of $1.00 per
year. The Boat Club occupied the ice house until 1976 when the roof
was deemed unsafe and the building condemned.
In November of 1976, the bicentennial Year, the members of the Board of
Directors of the Cedar Falls Historical Society agreed unanimously that
every effort should be made to preserve the old ice house for use as a
museum.
With the assistance of The Cedar Falls Daily Record,
the Society launched a campaign which met with wide-based community
support. The City allocated block grant money, and a successful fund
drive saved this unique building.
In the summer of 1978 contractors put in a new cement floor and
electrical system and made major repairs to the roof. The unusual
umbrella styled roof is supported by one center pole and the outside walls
of the structure.
The Ice House Museum opened to the public on June 24, 1979, and is
operated by the Ice House Management Council which is responsible to the
Board of Directors of the Cedar Falls Historical Society.
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Historic Cedar Falls Marker by the Ice House Museum
Erected by the Iowa State Historical Department, Division
of the State Historical Society and by the Cedar Falls Historical
Society. Donated by Kiwanis, Lions, and Rotary Clubs of Cedar Falls
1980. Written by Dr. Leland Sage.
"On Lands acquired by the USA from Sac and Fox (Mesquakie)
Indians in 1842, William Sturgis and Erasmus D. Adams settled near this
spot along the Cedar River in 1845. Sturgis began construction of a
dam and mill and the site became known as Sturgis Falls, the first
permanent settlement in Black Hawk County. Early residents were
Andrew Mullarky; John and Dempsey Overman, who completed the mill; A.J.
Taylor and wife the "first school marm"; Peter Melendy, Zimri
Streeter, Samuel H. Rownd. Moses Sawyer, S.A. Bishop, C.A. Wise,
and others. The hamlet soon counted seven mills along its mill
race. In 1849 it was incorporated as a village and the site name changed
to Cedar Falls."
Key developments in the city's history were:
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1855: Cedar Falls loses the battle for the county
court house in Waterloo. |
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1861: Illinois Central railroad builds as far as
Cedar Falls. |
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1861 - 1865: Cedar Falls stands strongly pro-union
during the Civil War. |
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1866: Illinois Central Railroad resumes westward
construction. |
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1860's: Danish migration to Cedar Falls and
vicinity begins. |
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1876: Iowa State Normal School founded; later
known as Iowa State Teachers College,
State College of Iowa, University
of Northern Iowa. |
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1882 - 1950: Danish-language newspaper, Dannevirke,
enjoyed influential career. |
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1904: Invention of rotary pump by Jens
Nielsen, local quarry owner, leads to formation of Viking Pump. |
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1918: John Deere Company comes to Waterloo, with professional, social and economic
effects on Cedar Falls.
Meanwhile, the Clay Equipment (farm machinery) and many similar
companies contributed greatly to the growth of Cedar Falls,
"The Lawn City", a cultural, educational, recreational,
and religious capital of Northeast Iowa. |
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The Interdenominational Bible Conference has held
annual encampments since 1922. |
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The Cedar River, George Wyth Park, and Black Hawk
Park are widely enjoyed sources of pleasure. |
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Every census except 1910 has shown an increase in
population.
The figure in 1970 was 29,597; in 1980, about 36,000. |
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Prominent residents have been: Bess Streeter
Aldrich, novelist; Homer H. Seerley, college president;
John
Livingston, aviator; Ruth Suckow, novelist. |
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Visit the
Wyth House and Viking Pump Museum,
the Victorian Home and Carriage House
Museum,
"R" Little Red School House Museum,
Behrens - Rapp Station Museum and Visitors Center,
and Lenoir Model Train Museum
Cedar Falls Historical Society ã
2002
For Problems or questions regarding this web site contact
cfhistory@cfu.net.
Last updated: 05/03/2006
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