R and W Scott Company Powerhouse and Ice House
Nutten Hook State Unique Area
In nominating this site to the National Register of Historic Places, the report considered this to be the most intact ice house of the period, providing "important evidence of the siting, scale and operation of such facilities."
Beginning in the 1830's, keeping food and beverages cold in and around New York City depended on the ice harvest from the Hudson River and nearby lakes. There were about 135 specially built structures lining the river between Poughkeepsie and Albany, far enough North to avoid salt and contaminated water. The advent of artificial refrigeration, combined with worsening pollution of the river, saw the entire industry "melt away" by about 1930.
At this site you will see the brick powerhouse, chimney stack, and remains of the foundation of the huge wooden ice house. The ice house operated from 1885 to 1923. It was sold to be used for mushroom farming. The ice house burnt down in 1934. Please take some time to read the signage. In the Summer, you can take a dip in the Hudson.
To log your find, choose ONE of the following bullet points:
- Post a photo with your found log which shows the powerhouse and includes yourself or a personal item; OR
- Message the answers to the following four questions:
- Each pass of the ice plow could cut how many inches into the ice?
- A good crew could pole how many cakes per minute?
- The Ice House could hold how many tons?
- Name a NYS Park that has the remains of an ice house. (Answer will not be found on the signage.)
Videos and Photos:
https://youtu.be/wsc62uqYKFw Video footage of Ice Harvesting, 1902 by Thomas Edison (YouTube)
R and W Scott, Ice Company Powerhouse and Ice House Site, 85000337, National Register of Historic Places and National Historic Landmarks Program Records, New York. Circa 1900
Plowing the ice at Stuyvesant Landing, 1912 (Photo: New York State Archives)
Sources:
https://thestateofruin.com/2020/07/24/rw-scott-ice-company-newton-hook-columbia-county-ny/
https://www.scenichudson.org/viewfinder/remembering-the-valleys-ice-harvesting-industry/
Virtual Rewards 3.0 - 2022-2023
This Virtual Cache is part of a limited release of Virtuals created between March 1, 2022 and March 1, 2023. Only 4,000 cache owners were given the opportunity to hide a Virtual Cache. Learn more about Virtual Rewards 3.0 on the Geocaching Blog.