Princeton Ice Company facts for kids
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Princeton Ice Company
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The upper dam of the Princeton Ice Company, built 1902
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| Location | 57 Mountain Avenue, Princeton, New Jersey 08540 |
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| Area | 77 acres (31 ha) |
| Built | 1884 |
| NRHP reference No. | 07000874 |
Quick facts for kids Significant dates |
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| Added to NRHP | August 28, 2007 |
The Princeton Ice Company was a business that made and sold ice in Princeton, New Jersey. They built a dam in 1884 on what used to be farmland. This dam helped them create a pond to harvest ice from.
The company was the main supplier of ice for Princeton. This was during a time called the "frozen water trade." People used natural ice to keep food cold before refrigerators were invented. In 1902, they built a second dam to make even more ice.
The Princeton Ice Company closed down in 1929. This happened because new technology, like electric refrigerators, made it easy to make ice at home. The land, which is about 77 acres (31 ha) (about 31 hectares), has mostly stayed the same since then. In 1958, a house was built there by a famous local architect named Rolf Bauhan.
Mountain Lakes Preserve: A Natural Escape
In 1987, Princeton Township bought the land. They wanted to keep it as open space for everyone to enjoy. It is now known as the Mountain Lakes Preserve.
Most of the original ice company buildings are gone. Only some foundations and a chimney remain. The old farm fields have grown back into forests. The house built in 1958 is now home to a group called Friends of Princeton Open Space. They use the house for events like wedding receptions. The money from these events helps support the organization.
The preserve is a key part of a larger 400-acre area. This area is called the Mountain Lakes Open Space Area. It has many trails and parks connected together. From here, you can see Tusculum, which was the country home of John Witherspoon. You can also see historic Coventry Farm.
In 2013, the town of Princeton received an award. It was for fixing up the two old dams at the preserve. A generous gift of $3 million helped pay for this important work.
Gallery
- Princeton Ice Company
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Ice cutters and ice houses at Mountains Lakes in 1910
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Three delivery wagons of the Princeton Ice Company
- Mountain Lakes Preserve
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A bald eagle in flight at the Mountain Lakes Preserve
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One of the lakes, created for the harvesting of ice
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Mountain Lakes House, built 1958, used for wedding receptions
See also
