Duquette Icehouse

The icehouse, an early form of refrigeration, is a pit or building with insulated walls where ice is stored to prevent it from melting. This was used as a cold storage for meat and perishables, as well as a source of ice during the summer months. The 19th century icehouse was commonly built using a double wall of logs insulated with earth, moss or sawdust. During the winter, the snow was plowed off nearby lakes and rivers, and blocks of ice were harvested using handsaws, hooks, ice chisels, sieves and tongs. The blocks were then loaded onto horse-drawn sleighs and transported to the icehouse.

The Sturgeon River House Museum’s Glacière Duquette Icehouse, located in the Innercourt of the museum grounds, is dedicated to the family of Fern & Jeannine Duquette from Crystal Falls who volunteered their time to design and build this icehouse in November 2000 for the education and enjoyment of all Museum visitors.