Cedar Falls Ice House

The Cedar Falls Ice House is a round storage building made of hollow clay tiles with a diameter of about 100 feet, now operating as a museum. The original structure from the 1920s still displays the layout and design that was created for storing large blocks of ice.

The building was constructed in the 1920s as a commercial ice storage facility supplying ice blocks to local businesses and homes. When electric refrigerators became widespread, the ice business became unnecessary and operations were discontinued in the 1930s.

The building tells the story of when ice was a valued commodity and harvesting it provided livelihoods for many. Visitors can understand how essential ice blocks were for storing food before electric refrigeration became commonplace.

The museum is open during the warmer months from May through October on weekends, when weather conditions are most suitable for visiting. Since this location is in a smaller town, visitors should check exact opening hours before making the trip.

The ice storage was an engineering achievement of its time, built with hollow clay tiles that maintained stable temperatures inside even during the hottest summer months. This construction technique shows how people used innovative methods before electricity was widely available.

Location: Iowa

GPS coordinates: 42.53861,-92.44861

Latest update: December 14, 2025 13:07