The Fleet of Irvington Ice & Coal--1920s

With numerous employees working several shifts, Irvington Ice & Coal (400 South Ritter Avenue) flourished as a profitable business for years.  The company provided both ice and coal to the neighborhood and all over the city Indianapolis.  In these historic photos, Leonard Swartz, the General Manager of the company in the 1920s, poses next to one of his vehicles that hauled ice.  Note the refrigerator on the back of the car!  Families would place a card (usually at the side or back door) in the window announcing the size of the ice chunk they would need for the next few days.  A very strong man would then throw a towel (usually) over his shoulder and carry the large piece of ice into the kitchen and place it in the ice box.  In the bottom photo, you can see just how many vehicles were needed to haul around all of that ice and coal!  The historic images are courtesy of Rodney and Sue Thompson.

You may learn more about the Irvington Ice & Coal Company by clicking on the link below or by visiting the Irvington Historical Society located in the Bona Thompson Memorial Library.