Ice Pond, Black Pond Trail – Located at the abandoned site of logging Camp 7 of the East Branch & Lincoln Railroad (1893-1948), near the junction of today's Lincoln Brook Trail and Black Pond Trail in Lincoln, New Hampshire, is a pond known as “Ice Pond”. Many hikers pass by this pond on the side of Black Pond Trail without even noticing it; it looks more like a parcel of dead trees than a pond.
Behind Camp 7, during the logging railroad era, a small pond was created along Birch Island Brook. Blocks of ice were cut from this pond during the winter months and used in iceboxes (early refrigerators). The included photographs show the pond and what remains of the ice harvesting operation.
The ice blocks cut from the pond were stored at the Camp 7 ice house, and some were transported to Lincoln Village and stored in the ice house at the company store. Use of the Camp 7 ice house ended in the 1940s, probably in 1946, when it was decided to stop maintaining the dam at the outlet of the pond.
Today, the walls surrounding the pond are still visible, but little remains of the Camp 7 ice harvesting operation. Interestingly, deep in the Pemigewasset Wilderness, along the East Branch & Lincoln Railroad, an old ice cutting saw (a protected artifact) remains at an undisclosed logging camp. Why the saw is at this logging camp is unknown.
Interesting links:
Birch Island Brook Falls
Lincoln Woods Trail
East Branch & Lincoln Railroad Book
Happy image making..
© Erin Paul Donovan. All rights reserved | Historic Information Disclaimer | White Mountains History
To license any of the photographs above for usage in print publications, click on the photograph.
Owner of ScenicNH Photography LLC
Erin Paul is a professional photographer, writer, and author who specializes in environmental conservation and historic preservation photography mainly in the New Hampshire White Mountains. His work is published worldwide, and publication credits include: Appalachian Mountain Club, Appalachian Trail Conservancy, Backpacker Magazine, and The Wilderness Society.
Excellent and informative.
Thank you,
Thank you Mj!
I am glad you enjoyed this write-up. It is a interesting piece of White Mountains history.