Fort Larned Ice House

Ice stored in the ice house by enlisted men in the winter was used by officers in the summer.

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Quick Facts

Location:

Larned, KS

Amenities

1 listed

Cellular Signal

13 - The Fort Larned Ice House

An earthen, shingle-roofed dugout in the bank of the river stored ice for officers to use in the summertime. The enlisted men would be detailed to cut the ice out of the Pawnee River when it froze. The following reports describe both what the ice house looked like, as well as its use during the fort's active period.

January 1869 report by Assistant Surgeon W. H. Forwood:

"The ice house stands on the bank of the creek near the post, in the rear of the commanding officer’s quarters, the sides are of earth up to the eaves, the roof is shingled and to protect the ice from the heat of the sun has been lined on the inside leaving a space of two feet between the building and the roof, it has a capacity of four hundred tons of ice and is ventilated by a draft in the center."

1875 report of A.A.Q.M. Lt. C.B. Hall, 19th Infantry:

"There are two ice houses at the post, with a capacity for six hundred tons each. Each winter these buildings are filled with good ice put up by the troops."