Ice Harvesting on Old Boca Reservior (Truckee
Atlas)
During the 1800's and early 1900's, the area now covered by Boca Reservoir
was used for ice harvesting. The ice was used to cool the deep mines
of the "Comstock Load" in Virginia City, for residential use, and for keeping
Cental Valley fruits and vegetables fresh on the trains. The Boca
area was ideal for ice harveting due the the extreme cold, abundance of
water, and easy access to the transcontinental railroad. Note that
Boca Reservoir averages only ten days a year during which the temperature
does not drop below freezing.
The top picture shows a horse pulling a saw across the ice. The
bottom shows the workmen breaking the ice loose.
Return to Boca Photographs