DeKalb To Get an Ice Plant in 1919

From the Nov. 20, 2019, MidWeek "Looking Back."

1919, 100 Years Ago.

"That DeKalb will have an ice manufacturing plant of its very own in the very near future is practically an assured fact, according to semi-official advices circulated today.

"The Dixon Artificial Manufacturing Co. is behind the movement to erect a fully equipped and modern plant here as a branch to the main plant at Dixon.  The local plant when completed will no doubt be  modern and up to date in every respect."

No more cutting up that ice in the lakes or ponds during the winter and storing them over the summer.    But spelling the end of the old ice industry.

--CootIce

Ice Cutting in 1919

From the January 23, 2019, MidWeek  "Looking Back."

1919, 100 Years Ago.

"While most people are feeling grateful for the mild weather of the last few days, Frank Carter is bewailing the fact that the mercury did not remain closer to the bottom of the tube, until he gets his ice harvested.

"However, on Carter lake on the south Malta road, the ice is better than ten inches thick and today, Mr. Carter is getting his tools hauled to the spot ready for cutting which will start tomorrow."

--CootIce

10 Bizarre Cold War Tales-- Part 2: Tricking Castro

7.  The Zambian schoolteacher's strange space program.  Zambia sort of had our space program.

6.  The U.S. built an underground nuclear ice fortress in Greenland called Project Iceworm in 1960.

5.  The British annexed a single rock islet called Rockall as a security measure.   It was 70 feet tall near the Falkland Islands.

4.  The Soviet Union tricked Castro into giving up his nuclear missiles during the Cuban Missile Crisis.  It did not end when the Soviets agreed to remove the missiles in October 1962.  The true ending was November 22, 1962, when the Soviet Union tricked Castro.

--DaCootIce

Icemaking Back in 1917

From the February 8, 2017, MidWeek (DeKalb County, Illinois)  "Looking Back."

1917, 100 Years Ago.

"Will Myers and Pete Larson of Cortland are filling the ice house from the Myers pond.

"The ice is about a foot thick."

--CootIce

The Ice Man Goeth in Jan. 1917

From the January 4, 2017, MidWeek  (DeKalb County, Illinois)  "Looking Back.:

1917, 100 Years Ago.

"The warm weather of the past twenty-four hours has held up the ice making proposition and although some of the ice dealers of the city had started marking, the work was halted until colder weather comes again.

"The dairy company had started to mark the Normal (NIU's Lagoon) pond and the youngsters were sorry to lose their skating but now are glad that the warm weather halted the work of the ice man."

--CootIce

Ice Cutting Time in DeKalb in 1917

From the December 27, 2017, MidWeek (DeKalb County, Illinois)  "Looking Back."

1917, 100 Years Ago.

"The work of harvesting DeKalb's annual ice crop should begin within the next few days, especially if such weather as prevailed here last night continues for any length of time.

"Cold weather, especially below zero, as we have experienced for a week or more, means that the ice is in the process of making and it is very probable that the ice cutters, and numerous wagons, will be getting into town for the work within a very short time."

In the Days Before Refrigerators.  --CootIce

Icing It in 1917

From the February 8, 2017, MidWeek (DeKalb County, Illinois)   "Looking Back."

1917, 100 Years Ago.

"Will Myers and Pete Larson of Cortland are filling the ice house from Myers pond.

"The ice is about a foot thick."

Before Refrigerators and Bags of Ice.  --Cooter

Looking Back to 1916: Cutting Ice at NIU's Lagoon

From the February 10, 2016, MidWeek (DeKalb County, Illinois) "Looking Back."

1916, 100 Years Ago.

"Ice men are busy cutting ice on the Normal pond (probably Northern Illinois University's Lagoon) and the skating will be interfered with until this is over.  There has been a good skating surface for several days but the fact was not known by many there was little use made of the pond.

"If the weather turns cold again and freezes over where the ice has been taken out it will make for good skating."

Ice Harvesting was quite a big winter time industry in northern Illinois at the time.

What, No Smart Phones?  --Cooter

Looking Back 100 Years Ago: Kishwaukee River Rampage

Feb. 1916, 100 years ago.  "The old Kishwaukee (actually more of a creek than river) was on the rampage last Friday and Saturday.  The ice went out and considerable damage was threatened for a time.  Both Kirkland bridges escaped serious injury, but one of the abutments of the Cottrell Bridge was undermines, causing serious damage."

--DaFloodedCoot