Ice Cream in July

Ice Cream in July. Icehouse, ca. 1790. , Having ice in summertime was a real luxury in the early 19th century. Storing enough ice to last throughout the summer was a true feat. A large icehouse was a sign of wealth, and originally there were two such structures at Hampton. Although it looks like a grassy mound from the outside, take steps to view the elaborate underground vault that allowed the Ridgelys to serve ice cream in July. When the Ridgelys needed ice, a servant would descend into the pit, chip off what was needed, and hoist or carry the load up a ladder and out the passage., [Caption:] , Men entered the cavity through the passage and packed the ice down, often pouring water over it to make it freeze. As the ice melted, the mass slid down the cone-shaped pit but stayed compact., In winter, slaves or paid workers cut large blocks of ice from frozen ponds in the property. They hauled them up the hill on sledges. The ice was shoveled through a hatch into the cone-shaped cavity that extends 14 feet below ground.