Shirley, We had the ice box too, but what was unique about it, we received the ice from the same place that delivered the coal for the fireplace. Winnette

I remember my grandmother telling me that they received their big block of ice from the same man as who delivered the coal also. Sort of a strange combination...fire and ice. I remember the coal pile, coal scuttle and the hearth utensils. We had fireplaces and pot belly stoves out at the old homeplace (my great grandparents' home in Somerville, Morgan County, Alabama). I also remember as a child in Hartselle, Morgan County, Alabama that the coal company there had big blocks of ice also.....and I am fifty. We still have my grandparents ice box from when my stepfather was a child. My mother had it restored and used it to store current important paperwork before filing it in the file cabinets. The ice box seems to be of oak construction on the exterior and some sort of metal on the interior. There are several wire shelves on the right side, two shelves on the left side, and two small doors below those doors where I suppose the ice block was kept to allow the cold up through the holes in its top wall. It has nice handles that open by just pushing down on them. They seem to be brass or some other metal. I remember hearing my grandmother speak of how amazing the ice blocks would last. Got off subject there...but it is part of our history. You all take care now..... Phyllis J. K. Owens ----- Original Message ----- From: "GNW" <gnw@rose.net> To: <alcoffee@rootsweb.com> Sent: Monday, July 23, 2007 8:07 PM Subject: Re: [ALCOFFEE] Memories (off topic?) Shirley, We had the ice box too, but what was unique about it, we received the ice from the same place that delivered the coal for the fireplace. Winnette ==== ALCOFFEE Mailing List ==== To unsubscribe send email with word unsubscribe in the text area to ALCOFFEE-L-request@rootsweb.com Come visit with us to research and know our people and history of Coffee County, Alabama.....you will find us downhome and most friendly here. Also, while online, please visit the Coffee County ALGenWeb Project website at http://www.rootsweb.com/~alcoffee and the Pea River Historical and Genealogical Society at http://www.rootsweb.com/~alprhgs Please support our PRH&GS with your annual membership by submitting $20 to PRH&GS, Attn: Phyllis J. K. Owens, P.O. BOX 310628, Enterprise, AL 36331-0628, or visit the website above to join via PayPal, or visit the Society Research Library & Gift Shoppe at 108 South Main Street, Enterprise, Alabama 36330. You will receive the seasonal copies of Pea River Trails magazine with your paid membership. Good luck in your search....and happy hunting. ------------------------------- To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to ALCOFFEE-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes in the subject and the body of the message

It was in Florida rather than Alabama - the family had already moved south - but I can still remember the ice truck coming around the neighborhood. He had the really big blocks of ice on the back of a truck under canvas and a goodly layer of hay. He would stop in the road where folks from several houses could get to him pretty easily and the women would go out and tell him how big a piece of ice they wanted. He would then chip their order out of one of the big blocks. If it was too big for the woman, he would use the heavy ice tongs to carry it in. It was the chipping that we kids waited for - we would catch or scrape from his truck bed the slivers of ice that flew off while the ice man was chipping away. It felt good in the summer when the sand was hot enough to burn bare feet - which all of ours were. We would often run along with the ice truck from stop to stop, catching those slivers and chunks of ice. The ice box - sounding much like the one that you describe, but with the ice compartment on top, stood just across from the sink with the hand pump. And I am only 9 years away from fifty....and I will let you guess in what direction. :?) Jack Butler