Houston's Ice King

[Subdude]

Did You Know?

Houston

[Ashikaga]

Did You Know?

Houston’s Ice King

Years before the widespread of availability of refrigerators and the electricity to run these modern conveniences, Houstonians made do with ice boxes. As the name implies, these simple appliances were usually boxes made of wood for storing blocks of ice. A shelf was set aside for the storage of perishable goods. The ice box remained cold only as long as the ice kept, thus necessitating frequent replenishing. As a result, ice manufacturers made regular house calls.

Ice was available in Houston as early as the 1840s when it was imported by ship from colder climates, a method that was both slow and expensive. Later, the local manufacture of ice ensured a constant, affordable supply.

Ice was a very lucrative business in Houston. The city’s early ice manufacturers were Henke’s Artesian Ice and Refrigerator Co., Houston Ice and Brewing Co., and American Brewing Association, the local branch of the Anheuser-Busch Brewing Co. These businesses were all roughly grouped together in the northwest corner of downtown Houston near the location of the current downtown Post Office.

Hometown ice purveyor Wade Hampton Irvin began his long career in ice and ice cream in 1903 as president and manager of the short-lived Klondike Ice Co. He was also a partner in Halverton and Irvin which sold groceries and feed at 2217 Washington. In 1905, Irving’s business became involved with the Bayou City Ice & Refrigerator Co. and expanded the grocery and feed store to include a saloon. While Irvin’s business acumen led to substantial profits, he maintained a modest home in Houston’s First Ward at 2313 Shearn.

In 1917, Irvin founded the Sanitary Ice Cream Co. The following year he moved to the fashionable Avondale subdivision in Montrose. His Prairie Style home at 106 Avondale was originally built in 1911 at a cost of $10,000, a princely sum in those days. The house still stands within the boundaries of the Avondale East Historic District.

In 1919, Irvin co-founded and became vice president of Citizens State Bank. He was later also vice president of Gulf State Bank. In the early 1920s, Irvin added the Zero Ice Factory to his holdings. In 1928, he divested himself of his sizeable ice and ice cream empire and moved to Morgan’s Point. Architect Joseph Finger designed the house, which still stands at 431 Bay Ridge Road.

Irvin was fairly well insulated from the stock market crash of 1929. In 1934, he and his wife Mamie purchased a home at 2508 Pelham in River Oaks as an in-town residence. Seventy years later, the restoration of this house (pictured) was recognized with a Good Brick Award.

Irvin died in the early 1940s. Mamie Irvin, who had been involved in the various businesses over the years, continued her husband’s work as vice chairman of Citizens State Bank.

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Very interesting. I remember a neighbor of my grandparents had an "icebox" in her garage, and she used it. I opened it up and saw that big block of ice hanging from the inside ceiling.

Chet Cuccia

[Subdude]

Houston ice delivery truck

[Ashikaga]

I heard that back then, it took several day for one of those big blocks of ice to melt completely down, unless the weather was super hot.

Chet Cuccia