Inscription
Icehouse, ca.1790
Hampton National Historic Site
Having ice in summertime was a real luxury in the early 19th century. Storing enough ice to last throughout the summer was a true feat. A large icehouse was a sign of wealth, and originally there were two such structures at Hampton. Although it looks like a grassy mound from the outside, take the steps to view the elaborate underground vault that allowed the Ridgelys to serve ice cream in July.When the Ridgelys needed ice, a servant would descend into the pit, chip off what was needed, and heist or carry the load up a ladder and out the passage.
(Inscription beside the drawing in the center) Men entered the cavity through the passage and packed the ice down, often pouring water over it to make it freeze. As the ice melted, the mass slid down the cone-shaped pit but stayed compact.
(Inscription over the drawing in the upper right) In winter, slaves or paid workers cut large blocks of ice from frozen ponds in the property. They hauled them up the hill on sledges. The ice was shoveled through a hatch into the cone-shaped cavity that extends 14 feet below ground.
Details
| HM Number | HM1HMQ |
|---|---|
| Tags | |
| Historical Period | 20th Century, 19th Century, 18th Century |
| Historical Place | Home |
| Marker Type | Historic Building |
| Marker Class | Historical Marker |
| Marker Style | Free Standing |
| Placed By | National Park Service-United States Department of the Interior |
| Marker Condition | No reports yet |
| Date Added | Monday, November 3rd, 2014 at 3:01pm PST -08:00 |
Pictures
Photo Credits: [1] SEPTEMBERSPARROW1666 [2] SEPTEMBERSPARROW1666 [3] SEPTEMBERSPARROW1666 [4] SEPTEMBERSPARROW1666
Locationbig map
| UTM (WGS84 Datum) | 18S E 363290 N 4364245 |
|---|---|
| Decimal Degrees | 39.41690000, -76.58810000 |
| Degrees and Decimal Minutes | N 39° 25.014', W 76° 35.286' |
| Degrees, Minutes and Seconds | 39° 25' 0.8400" N, 76° 35' 17.1600" W |
| Driving Directions | Google Maps |
| Area Code(s) | 410, 443 |
| Can be seen from road? | No |
| Is marker in the median? | No |
| Closest Postal Address | At or near 1110 Gypsy Ln W, Towson MD 21286, US |
| Alternative Maps | Google Maps, MapQuest, Bing Maps, Yahoo Maps, MSR Maps, OpenCycleMap, MyTopo Maps, OpenStreetMap |
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