Ice was a hot commodity a century ago, and the city of Elgin was a leader in the multi-million-dollar ice harvesting industry.
Elgin had as many as 12 companies harvesting ice on both sides of the Fox River. Several hundred men, who were paid $1.25 per day, harvested 100,000 tons of ice in a two- or three-week period. Elgin was an ideal location to harvest ice because of the depth and width of the river.
Ice harvested in Elgin and other northeastern states was sent to southern states by railroad. Some was even loaded on schooners and shipped to the Far East, Africa and South America.
Ice vendors purchased the ice wholesale and delivered it to businesses and residences. Homeowners placed signs in their windows indicating how much ice they desired. The ice man then carried the order into the icebox in the kitchen. South Elgin boasted two ice houses to store the summer supply of ice.
Ice harvesting was as dependent on weather conditions as farming and harvesting crops were. While lack of rain was a farmer’s greatest concern, snow was the enemy of the ice business. Twelve inches of ice was needed to start cutting ice. The best year for ice was in 1880-81, when by mid-February the ice was 28 inches thick.
In 1907, the river was contaminated by nearby gravel pits, and the Chicago Board of Health condemned ice removed from the river. Ice harvesting continued on a limited basis as late as 1928.
