The Story of Rockland Lake’s Ice Empire

Long before electric refrigeration, New York City relied on pure ice harvested from Rockland Lake high above the Hudson River. Each winter, crews carved blocks from the frozen water, stacking them inside sawdust-insulated ice houses to survive the summer heat.

Learn more about how workers loaded heavy blocks of ice onto gravity-fed wooden chutes and inclined railways, sliding them down the steep cliffs of the Palisades to the riverfront below. The Hudson River served as a vital lifeline as specialized ice barges, towed by steam tugboats, carried millions of tons of cargo directly to city piers, where horse-drawn wagons distributed the blocks to local markets, businesses, and home iceboxes.

ABOUT THE PRESENTER

Timothy Englert is a filmmaker, former Palisades Interstate Park Commission (PIPC) development executive, and cofounder of Rockland County’s Knickerbocker Ice Festival. Alongside the late Robert Patalano, Tim organized the festival from 2007 to 2013, drawing thousands to Rockland Lake to celebrate its historic legacy as the "icebox of New York City," and is currently working on bringing the festival back this winter. Tim is also a documentary filmmaker with a 20-year career highlighting regional history and the creator of the Knickerbocker Bench, which is featured in parks across the Hudson Valley and beyond.

There will be a Q&A after the program.

• RSVP is required for admission to the Lecture Series
• Limited guest capacity
• FREE to attend
• There will NOT be a potluck supper at this event

The Ferry Sloops Lecture Series is now in its 15th year