HOW DO WE KNOW THE PEEL OUTBUILDING WAS AN ICEHOUSE?

Our investigations indicate a number of functions for the use of the building over time. The building was constructed originally as an icehouse based on architectural and archeological evidence.

IWalls of the Peel Mansion outbuilding were built 2 courses thick with a space between the bricks comprising the inner and outer wall. Other than insulation there is no purpose for this type of building construction. The original floor was dug out 2' below the ground surface, again necessary for insulation for the storage of ice. In the late 1800s and early 1900s building plans were published for various types of barns and outbuildings, including icehouses. Two characteristics from the outbuilding remains at the Peel House exhibit classic icehouse architecture. First, the walls were built two brick courses thick with a 3" space between the brick courses. This space was filled with sawdust for insulation. Secondly, our excavations revealed that the original interior floor was dug out 2' below the ground, a depth recommended in these early "how to" guides for building icehouses (Ekblaw 1914, Orange Judd Company 1918). The Peel icehouse could have held around 7 tons of ice. Four or five tons of ice was usually what a single family used in a season (Ekblaw 1914, Orange Judd Company 1918).

Artifacts and the layers of soil and building debris help us date two major periods of use of the outbuilding. We found two built floors in the interior; the original floor dug 2' below the surface on top of which artifacts of various types had accumulated; and a brick and mortar floor built some 25 cm (10") above the original floor. This uppermost floor brought the level of the interior up to near the level of the threshold. On top of the second brick and mortar floor there was an additional 25 cm (10") of artifacts and debris.

Jamie Brandon excavating the floor of the Peel icehouse.

Profile of a small excavtion on the exterior of the icehouse examining the foundation contruction.

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