Hello readers! I’m Carlie, and I’m the Agricultural Exhibit Designer at the Backus-Page House Museum. Throughout the summer, I'll be sorting through various tools in the barn to get ready for the exhibit! Every Tuesday I’ll be sharing some of what I learned on our blog!
The other day I made myself an iced coffee before I started my day at work. I brewed a pot of coffee, and then poured it into a cup filled with ice. Later that day when I went rollerblading, I had a nice cup of ice water to cool down.
In the 1800s however, it wouldn't have been as easy as pushing a button on the refrigerator to get a cube of ice. Additionally, ice wouldn't have only been used to chill drinks. Instead it would be used to keep food cold, fresh and edible.
Having a pair of ice tongs would have been very useful. It allowed a family to move blocks of ice (you wouldn't have had small cubes) from the lake into an icebox. This ice would be used to keep food cold. However, many families would save money in the winter by storing perishables in a cellar, outside, or other places that would be cooled by the elements.
If you want to learn more about the tools here at the Backus-Page Museum, or want to come see our collection with your own eyes, then come by the museum!
