Cedar Falls Ice House facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Cedar Falls Ice House
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 Location in Iowa
Location in the United States
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| Location | Franklin Ave. and 1st St. Cedar Falls, Iowa |
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| Area | less than one acre |
| Built | 1921 |
| Architect | Cedar Falls Construction Co. |
| NRHP reference No. | 77000494 |
| Added to NRHP | October 21, 1977 |
The Cedar Falls Ice House is a special old building in Cedar Falls, Iowa, USA. It was built in 1921. This building is so important that it was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1977. Today, it's known as the Ice House Museum.
The Story of the Ice House
The very first ice house in Cedar Falls was built a long time ago, in 1858. It was near the home of William Sturgis. He was the first person to live permanently in Black Hawk County, Iowa.
Sadly, that first ice house burned down on October 22, 1921. Hugh Smith, who owned the Cedar Falls Ice and Fuel Company, quickly made plans for a new one. The Cedar Falls Construction Company finished building the current structure in November 1921.
From Ice Storage to Museum
The first time ice was collected and stored in the new building was on January 10, 1922. It worked as an ice house until 1934, when Hugh Smith's business closed. The Cedar Falls Trust and Savings Bank then took over the building.
For a while, it was used as a barn for farm animals. It was even flooded once to create a place for ice skating! In 1938, the city of Cedar Falls bought the building. They rented it to the Cedar Falls Boat Club.
The Boat Club used the building until 1976. At that time, the building was in bad shape and almost torn down. But the Cedar Falls Historical Society decided to save it! They raised money to fix it up.
Renovations began in 1978. The Ice House Museum officially opened its doors on June 24, 1979. The building was later damaged in a big flood in 2008.
Building Design and Size
The Cedar Falls Ice House is a unique building. It is a true round barn, meaning it's shaped like a perfect circle. It measures about 100 feet (30 meters) across. The building is also about 30 feet (9 meters) tall.
It is made from hollow clay tiles. The roof has two parts and a special vent called an aerator. A large pole in the center helps hold up the roof, along with the strong walls. When it was used for ice, it could hold a huge amount: between 6,000 and 8,000 tons of ice!
See also
- List of ice companies
