Jamestown in James City County, Virginia — The American South (Mid-Atlantic)

Harvesting Ice

Photographed By Bill Coughlin, August 14, 2008

1. Harvesting Ice Marker

Inscription. Among the ruins of New Towne was a seven-foot pit, dug in colonial times. Not deep enough for a well, the hole tapered from 14 feet wide at the rim to 6 feet wide at the sandy bottom.

In Britain in the 1600s, perishables were often stored in huts built over pits filled with layers of fresh-water ice and straw. The trapped frigid air could keep meat and dairy products fresh until autumn.

The colonists brought with them their Old World patterns of subsistence: milling, baking, brewing, and preserving food. The hole found at New Towne was very likely a traditional English ice pit.

Erected by Colonial National Historic Park.

Topics. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Colonial Era.

Location. 37° 12.07′ N, 76° 45.59′ W. Marker is in Jamestown, Virginia, in James City County. Marker is on Loop Drive, on the right when traveling east. Marker is on Jamestown Island, along the Loop Drive. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Jamestown VA 23081, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. The Hardwood Harvest (about 600 feet away, measured in a direct line); Early Medical Discoveries (approx. 0.3 miles away); The “Island House” (approx. 0.3 miles away); Bowl, Pot, and Pipe

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(approx. 0.6 miles away); Virginia’s Vintage (approx. 0.6 miles away); Silk Worn and Silk Spun (approx. 0.7 miles away); Homes to Last (approx. ¾ mile away); Jamestown Island (approx. ¾ mile away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Jamestown.

More about this marker. The top of the marker features a picture of colonists unloading ice blocks from an ox cart into the ice house.

Related markers. Click here for a list of markers that are related to this marker. Take a virtual tour of markers located along the Loop Drive on Jamestown Island.

Also see . . .
1. Island Loop Drive. Colonial National Historic Park from National Park Service website. (Submitted on March 27, 2009, by Bill Coughlin of Woodland Park, New Jersey.)

2. Historic Jamestowne. Historic Jamestowne is the site of the first permanent English settlement in America. The site is jointly administered by APVA Preservation Virginia and the National Park Service. (Submitted on March 27, 2009, by Bill Coughlin of Woodland Park, New Jersey.)

Marker on Jamestown Island image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Bill Coughlin, August 14, 2008

2. Marker on Jamestown Island

Freshwater Pond image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Bill Coughlin, August 14, 2008

3. Freshwater Pond

This pond, located behind the marker, might have been the site of ice harvests by the colonists of Jamestown.

Credits. This page was last revised on June 16, 2016. It was originally submitted on March 27, 2009, by Bill Coughlin of Woodland Park, New Jersey. This page has been viewed 807 times since then and 11 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on March 27, 2009, by Bill Coughlin of Woodland Park, New Jersey.