Sunday, September 1, 2024
Each spring as the weather turned warmer, the delivery of ice began. The iceman, along with his horse and wagon, became part of the summer street scene of nearly every town in the United States.
The wagons were often very colorful, with bold, decorative lettering that promoted the company. Sometimes the horse pulling the ice wagon knew the route so well that it pulled the wagon ahead to the next customer’s home while the ice man was delivering the ice.
As the ice delivery man arrived at houses on his route, he needed to know how much ice each customer wanted that day. Gatesville businesses and residents had signs in their windows or on their front doors to show the ice delivery man how many pounds to leave. The amount of ice wanted was the number at the top of the card.
The ice man then pulled the needed size out of his wagon, carried it into the house and placed it inside the ice box.
Tongs were used to lift and carry ice by the men that delivered ice to homes and businesses. When the ice truck arrived at a house the delivery man would pull a block of ice out of his truck using his ice tongs. He would then lift the ice block onto his shoulder, which was protected from the cold and dampness with a thick sheepskin pad. If the ice block did not easily fit into the ice box, the ice man would use an ice pick the trim the ice.
Ice delivery men carried a small scale in their pocket to assure customers that they were receiving the promised amount of ice. Scales for measuring large blocks of ice were usually attached to the ice wagon.
At the Coryell Museum and Historical Center, you can see an early day “Ice Wagon,” which made its rounds in Gatesville from 1920 until early 1931 or 1932. It was owned by Mr. E. Routh and is said to be a converted WWI U.S. Army ambulance.
The Gatesville Ice Plant had originally been part of The Methodist Church and had been built on a piece of ground in Gatesville dedicated to worship. The church was built with all volunteer labor in 1860 and used as a Methodist Church until 1870 when it was used as a school until 1877. Located on 7th Street between Main and Saunders, this building is thought to have become the Ice Plant in the 1880s.
The Ice Plant building was torn down in 1961 to make way for a parking lot. The Ice Wagon was donated to the Coryell Museum and used for a while in many local parades. The “100 Years” sign was added during the 100-year celebration of Coryell County in 1954.
Visitors are welcome to drop by the museum located at 718 E. Main to view the massive spur collection. Coryell Museum and Historical Center is open Tuesday through Saturday, as is the gift shop. Yearly, Coryell Museum memberships are $20 for singles, $30 for families, and $40 for businesses, which includes free admission to the museum, plus four newsletters. Of course, large and small donations are welcome at all times.
Coryell Museum offers area schools and tour groups a delightful, guided tour through the museum with docents at many exhibits. Call the museum at 254-865-5007 to plan a visit.
