Before modern refrigeration, ice harvesting was a vital industry in the Northwoods. Every February, crews of workers took to the frozen lakes with saws and chisels, cutting massive blocks of ice to be stored in sawdust insulated ice houses. Horses and sleds transported the blocks to icehouses, where they would be packed tightly and kept frozen well into summer. Ice harvested in February could last until August, supplying homes, businesses, and even railcars transporting perishable goods. Though the industry faded with the rise of electric refrigeration, remnants of ice harvesting operations can still be found in old towns and historic sites across the Northwoods.