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. It was built in 1884 on what used to be farmland. This company was the main supplier of ice to the town before people had refrigerators.
In 1902, a second dam was added to help the company make even more ice. However, by 1929, new technology like electric refrigerators made the ice business less important. So, the company closed down. The land, which is about 77 acres, has mostly stayed untouched since then. In 1958, a house was built on the property by a local architect named Rolf Bauhan.
Mountain Lakes Preserve
In 1987, Princeton Township bought the land to keep it as open space. 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 on the property is now used by a group called Friends of Princeton Open Space. They use it for events like wedding receptions. The money they earn helps support the organization and the preserve.
The Mountain Lakes Preserve is part of a larger 400-acre area called the Mountain Lakes Open Space Area. This area has many trails and parks. From here, you can see places like Tusculum, which was the country home of John Witherspoon, and historic Coventry Farm.
In 2013, the town of Princeton received an award for fixing up the two 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
