In the mid-19th century, across the Northeast of the United States, workers would cut ice from froze

In the mid-19th century, across the Northeast of the United States, workers would cut ice from frozen ponds, haul it to port and ice houses, put it on a ship and send it around the world as part of the ice trade for refrigeration.

The ice was cleared off snow and debris then the surface was scored with horse driven ice plows to create a grid of squares. Giant handsaws and ice pikes were then used to break up the squares of ice. 

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