Business: Refrigeration Services

Transcriber: stan@wiclarkcountyhistory.org

Surnames: Debevec, Zallar, Routar, Plautz, Cesnik, Lunka, Dill, Carter, Thompson

----Source: Family Scrapbook

There were no electric or gas refrigerators in the early days of Willard. In order to be able to keep any perishable food such as meat, butter, or milk any length of time, the storekeepers had to put up a supply of ice during the winter months when the ice was thick on the streams or ponds.

Tony Debevec Jr. remembers having to help pack the ice away into an "icehouse" with sawdust and snow. This was for Zallar's Store. This icehouse was located on the north side of Willard just east of Happy Routar's farm. The ice was brought in by train from Greenwood. To use it there was an ice-bin on each end of the meat counter, which had to be filled each morning.

When the Plautz family had their store in the Cesnik building they also had an icehouse and ice bins, but they cut and hauled their ice from the Eau Claire River. When Joe F. Lunka took over the store in the twenties, he used the same system until power lines were constructed in the later 1930's.

Joe Lunka made his own ice at the dam north of Greenwood with Julius Dill and "Dad" Carter, who trucked it to the icehouse which was next to the store. There was also an icehouse near the Harley Thompson Tavern, located just west of the soft ball diamond on the east side of town.