John Woodward unearthed some images taken by Etta Faulding at the 1922 opening of the Puritan Ice plant in Santa Barbara. John has given us permission to display them here.
Puritan Ice Santa Barbara, exterior with delivery trucks, 1922, photo by Etta Faulding. John Woodward collection.
Drivers in two of the old REO Speedwagon delivery vans. Puritan, like many ice companies at the time, distributed ice cream, because the ice plant was the best place to store the inventory. Puritan distributed Hughes Ice Cream. Probably (but not certainly) TP Dalzell (left) and Leon Phillips on the loading dock. Unknown individual behind them. The construction materials in the foreground are likely indicative of a recently completed ice conveyor and platform. The trailer behind one of the delivery vehicles… Not sure, but possibly used to transport larger quantities of ice to citrus packing houses.
Puritan Ice Santa Barbara, exterior with PFE rail cars, 1922, photo by Etta Faulding. John Woodward collection.
This is a pretty cool image. Pacific Fruit Express, founded in 1906, built 6600 cars in their first year. The foreground car, numbered 4404, may have been an early PFE car. This Etta Faulding image also shows the original icing platform (later on, rail spurs would line up on both sides of the platform) and the ‘ice rats,’ ready to ice the cars.
Puritan Ice Santa Barbara, opening day crowd, 1922, photo by Etta Faulding. John Woodward collection.
Recognize anyone? There are 53 men in the image. The man in white, to the mid-far right, probably worked for Puritan. Though this was at the height of Prohibition, many individuals appear to be cradling beverages with the reverence due a fine rum or whiskey. I’ll admit: no idea why the hatches on the foreground PFE car are so much thicker than the others. Many of the men appear to be looking west along the tracks, perhaps watching a train approach or depart.
Puritan Ice Santa Barbara, opening day celebration, 1922, photo by Etta Faulding. John Woodward collection.
This is Santa Barbara 1922. Civic boosterism, Fords, suits, a couple nice hats, and beautiful white ice.
Puritan Ice Santa Barbara, ice blocks on icing platform, 1922, photo by Etta Faulding. John Woodward collection.
The white ice was for the rail cars. Domestic ice was clear. Santa Barbara produced both.
Puritan Ice Santa Barbara, interior, 1922, photo by Etta Faulding. John Woodward collection.
Inside the Santa Barbara ice plant. Compressors ran on the far side. Ice was created in brine tanks beneath the oak plank flooring. Note the hinges in the planks to access the ice cans. Towards the rear of the plant, you can see an ice rat pulling three ice cans from the brine tank using an overhead crane. Another ice rat looks on from the machinery floor.
And one more:
Puritan Ice promoted the William Howard-directed “The Thundering Herd” film by Paramount based on the Zane Grey novel in mid-1925.
Photo by Etta Faulding (most likely) 1925. John Woodward collection.
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53 men standing on the icing platform: LR Phillips is at far right in sweater.