Icebox

[3] It was there that the region's King, Zimri-lim, began the construction of an elaborate ice house fitted with a sophisticated drainage system and shallow pools to freeze water in the night.

[4] The traditional kitchen icebox dates back to the days of ice harvesting, which was commonly used from the mid-19th century until the introduction of the refrigerator for home use in the 1930s.

His first design consisted of an oval cedar tub with a tin container fitted inside with ice between them, all wrapped in rabbit fur to insulate the device.

[11] Later versions would include hollow walls that were lined with tin or zinc and packed with various insulating materials such as cork, sawdust, straw, or seaweed.

The design of the icebox allowed perishable foods to be stored longer than before and without the need for lengthier preservation processes such as smoking, drying, or canning.

[16] The temperature of the soil is held relatively constant year-round when taken below the frost line, located 0.9 to 1.5 m (3 to 5 ft) below the surface, and varies from about 7 and 21 °C (45 and 70 °F) depending on the region.

[17] Prior to the convenience of having refrigeration inside the home, cold storage systems would often be located underground in the form of a pit.

As the icebox began to make its way into homes during the early to mid 19th century, ice collection and distribution expanded and soon became a global industry.

The idea for air circulation in refrigeration systems stems back to John Schooley, who wrote about his process in the 1856 Scientific American, a popular science magazine.

"[22] This idea of air circulation and cold led to the eventual invention of the mechanical, gas-driven refrigerators.

As these early mechanical refrigerators became available, they were installed at large industrial plants producing ice for home delivery.