Time invariably leaves certain industries behind. Such is the case for the ice industry, a once booming business for the Northeast and many parts of Pennsylvania and, now, mostly a memory. However, two Pennsylvania groups are keeping the tradition alive with an annual millpond ice harvest in January and an ice harvest demonstration in February, using the old-school methods, and educating the community on this once thriving regional industry.
Ice became a hot commodity in the 19th century. Like many newfangled goods, it began as a relatively rare luxury item that quickly caught on. The so-called “Ice King” of New England, Frederic Tudor, rapidly grew the trade with harvesting tools, smartly designed ice houses and ever-speedier shipments to the Caribbean and India. Ice, harvested from ponds, lakes, and streams, transformed the meat and beer industries and became a household staple as refrigerated ice boxes became more common and affordable.
Hudson River ice harvesting
Ice harvests were, at first, incredibly treacherous, with drownings, broken bones and lost goods common. Developments led to a safer and far more efficient methods of horse drawn plows that scored massive blocks of ice, which were then hand-sawed and floated to the water’s edge and hauled into storage houses. From there, the massive blocks were loaded on ships, barges and railroads for their next destination. In towns and cities (like Philadelphia), smaller quantities were deployed on wagons. By the end of the 19th century, nearly every home and grocer had an ice box, and many used window signs to let icemen know how much ice to deliver on a given day.
Men harvesting ice in New Jersey
While the ice trade nearly spanned the globe, much of it took place along the East Coast of the United States. A web of routes brought ice from the north to the south by sea, rail and river. Most of the nation’s ice came from Maine and other parts of New England, the Hudson River Valley of New York and mountainous areas of Pennsylvania.
Notable ice harvest spots in PA included Conneaut Lake in Crawford County, Dreibelbis Farm in Berks County, Stoever’s and Ebenezer dams in Lebanon County, North Mountain, Bear Creek and Harvey’s Lake in Luzerne County, and lakes throughout the Poconos, like Tobyhanna, Stillwater, Naomi, Pocono and Anglewood.
Original 1907 Tobyhanna Millpond #1 Icehouse
In 1913, a man named Fred W. Wolf invented electric refrigeration, which General Electric modernized for home use in 1937. Slowly but surely, this new technology all but eliminated the ice industry by the mid-century.
Bill Leonard Jr. of Monroe County has significant ties to the bygone industry, which he brings to life each winter on Tobyhanna Millpond #1 with the help of family, friends and local community members. His father, Bill Leonard Sr., was an ice harvester who collected ice harvesting tools over the years and began the construction of a small icehouse at Millpond #1 in the 1990s before he passed away. Leonard Jr. took up the mantle, completing the ice house and leading the annual harvest (weather permitting) to demonstrate the living history of the century-old industry. Many in attendance have fathers and grandfathers who once harvested in the region.
Tobyhanna Millpond #1 Icehouse built in 1993 with a 50-ton capacity
Leonard shares, “In the early 1900s, the ice industry was one of the largest industries in Monroe County. There were about 18 commercial ice harvesting operations in the county. The Pocono Mountain Ice Company leased the lake (Tobyhanna Millpond #1) from the Tobyhanna and Lehigh Lumber Company and employed over 500 men during the height of the harvest. The combined total output from the area reportedly peaked at about 300 rail cars per day. Each railroad car could hold about 20 tons of ice.”
The Leonard family making ice cream from millpond ice.
Following the public harvest, the Leonard family and others use the stored ice well into the summer to make treats like ice cream. Along the same lines, icebox cakes were first made possible through ice harvesting. Leonard Jr.’s sister, Marilou Hitt, says, “Not surprisingly, the icebox cake originated back in the time of ice harvesting, but has stood the test and taste of time.” This no-bake wafer and whipped cream cake was embraced for its convenience and affordability. Check out a Philadelphia Cream Cheese version here.
Guests at the Tobyhanna Ice Harvest, which is free and open to the public on Saturday, January 31, 2026, can help cut ice, guide the ice cakes to the ice house, stack the ice inside or simply watch and enjoy the scene. The ice sawing begins at 9 a.m. and continues through about 2 p.m. This year, a recently restored 1918 Gifford ice saw will make its debut, working alongside a 1921 Gifford Wood ice saw. The Coolbaugh Township Historical Association, which sponsors the event, will open the historic Wills Mansion Museum about one mile away for guests to warm up with hot cocoa while exploring antique ice harvesting tools, memorabilia, exhibits and videos. You can also grab a tasty, affordable breakfast and/or hot dog lunch at VFW Post 509, just a half-mile away. The event is weather-permitting with updates available by calling the ice harvest hotline at (570) 894-8205.
Likewise, Historic Dreibelbis Farm in Hamburg holds an annual ice harvest demonstration, overseen by President Mark Dreibelbis. It’s a commemoration of the ice “crop” formerly harvested on this Pennsylvania German farm, carved from the frozen, creekside pond by residents and farm workers and hauled to an ice house near the property’s creamery.
This year, the Dreibelbis Farm ice harvest demonstration takes place on February 7, 2026 from 1:30 – 4:30 p.m. The Dreibelbis Farm Historical Society will host a presentation, cut and harvest ice blocks and explain how ice was hauled and stored. Guests can explore the grounds and nature trails, cozy up by the bonfire with hot chocolate or take a horse drawn wagon ride – which becomes a sleigh ride if there’s enough snow on the ground! The event is free and open to the public rain, snow or shine with parking at the Virginville Grange, 456 Main St., Virginville.
Stay in the loop for both of these ice harvests by following Tobyhanna Ice Harvest and Historic Dreibelbis Farm on Facebook. This fascinating former industry is also preserved and celebrated by the Antique Ice Tool Museum in Chester County, Sculpted Ice Works in Wayne County and the Pennsylvania Lumber Museum in Potter County.
- Hudson River photo: New York State Archives
- Kids in blue harvesting a row of ice: Pocono Mountains Visitors Bureau
- All other photos: Bill Leonard with Tobyhanna Ice Harvest
