Hot enough for you? Well, when you reach into your freezer for an ice cube think about the process of getting and keeping ice before electricity. Maybe our Friday Find will help cool you off.
From the estate of Mabel (Reed) Halpin: Mabel’s father, Carl Reed, came to Littleton to work as a farm hand for Langdon Prouty. He lived on King Street one house toward the depot from New Estate Road (now Gruskowskis).
The picture of him in their driveway shows the Socony gas station which used to be on the corner of King Street and New Estate Road.
He bought the ice business and rented the ice house on Mill Pond from Curtis Drew. Originally he used the ice house on the left side of Mill Road but later built a bigger ice house on the right side of Mill Road, which may be the one in the photo. Carl Reed cut his own ice with the help of local farmers. Roger Conant took care of running the horses which were used to pull the saws and run the lift to get the ice up to the top levels of the ice house. Ice companies had an agreement to only sell in their own towns. Carl delivered all the ice himself.
He sold ice until 1957 when artificial refrigeration took over. Then he started the Littleton Oil Company which was housed on Great Road (Banks’ Automotive).
- Noreen Shimmel-SpurrLove learning all this history.
- Susan FougstedtWould not want to use an ice cube from Mill Pond todayKenneth BanksDo we know who the man is in the photo?? My great grandfather delivered ice back then…
AuthorLittleton Historical Society Inc MassachusettsIt is Carl ReedEllen BanksEverett reed. Your father worked cutting and stacking ice at mill pond!Kenneth BanksEllen Banks , I learn something new everyda
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