"At its peak at the end of the 19th century, the U.S. ice trade employed an estimated 90,000 people. By this time, Norway had become a major competitor, exporti

"At its peak at the end of the 19th century, the U.S. ice trade employed an estimated 90,000 people. By this time, Norway had become a major competitor, exporting a million tons (910 million kg) of ice a year. And during the California gold rush, ice began to be ordered from the then Russian-controlled Alaska to keep up with demand."