Melbourne Ice Plant

DID YOU KNOW

Melbourne Ice Plant

THANKS FLORIDA POWER & LIGHT

Getting those wonderfully cool cubes of water wasn’t always as easy as walking to the refrigerator and pushing a button or scooping from the fancy countertop nugget machines…and I’m still not even talking about as easy as filling trays of water and waiting for those little rectangles of water to freeze over before filling a glass!

Imagine having to wait for the ice delivery service!! Yep, back in the day before all the modern conveniences of ice machines, there were ice plants and from those ice plants trains were loaded up to deliver the ice as well as horse-and-buggy to deliver door-to-door…crazy, huh!!

But, did you know, right here, in the 321, we had our own ice plant, and the building still stands today at almost 100 years old!

Sitting off US1 just north of Strawbridge and close to the railroad tracks, is the building that once could house 50 tons of ice! Florida Power & light started construction in 1926 with the completion of the building in 1927. It was an operational ice plant for 50 years, before the doors officially closed in 1977!

The Melbourne Ice Plant revolutionized the way Floridians kept their cool. Before it came into existence, the closest one was in Fort Pierce. The ice would arrive by train and would be transferred over to horse-and-buggy which would then go door-to-door. Having an ice plant locally, made the process more efficient for the households in our area.

Ice wasn’t just used for drinks either. Before refrigerators, blocks of ice were used to help keep food fresh, and meat and milk cold.

The building itself is still standing today, almost 100 years later. The sturdy construction has proven its durability. It has been saved from demolition numerous times by being bought and refurbished by local professionals. It now has a few businesses operating inside its walls.

Next time you enjoy an ice-cold drink, take a moment to reflect on how it used to be when ice was a ‘hot’ commodity and the building that enabled so many people to have a cold one!

I hope you enjoyed this step back in time…now go have a cold drink and stay tuned for more fascinating facts from the 321! Stay cool! ❄️