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A Little History about The White Mountain Ice Cream Freezer
to share with your Kids
Ice cream as we know it today probably came into existence in the middle of the 17th century when a chef employed by Charles I of England developed a technique of shaking flavored cream in a dish of ice. It became so popular that the king actually continued to keep the formula a "Royal Secret". Slowly, the secret got out and many ice cream parlors began to spring up around Europe in the early 1800's.
However,
it was in the United States where its manufactured and popularity
soared. In fact, we know that George Washington purchased a
"cream machine for making ice" and spent the unheard of sum
of $200 making ice cream all summer!
It was not until 1846, however, that a woman named Nancy Johnson, in New York, made life easier for all of us ice cream lovers by inventing a crude, but easy-to-use hand crank ice cream maker. Remarkably, she never patented the device!
It is from Parkers "History of Nashua" that we find the following brief history of the White Mountain Ice Cream Freezer.
The
White Mountain Freezer Company which manufactures ice cream
makers is the largest establishment of its kind in the world.
The company began business in Laconia, New Hampshire in 1872.
Thomas Sands being the inventor, was the proprietor and manager.
The enterprise was a success from the start and greatly expanded
its business until 1881, when its factory was burned.
Following the fire Mr. Sands cast about to find the best place in which to locate, where better railroad facilities could be obtained than at Laconia. After thoroughly canvassing the situation he decides upon Nashua, New Hampshire. He accordingly purchased four acres of land between the tracks of the Worcester & Nashua and Nashua Acton railroads, where he located his factories.
The buildings include the main factory which is two hundred by forty feet, a storehouse two hundred by thirty-three feet, foundry and shops, one hundred and fifty by fifty feet, store and boiler house, one hundred and seventy-five by twenty-six feet, with several buildings for drying, cooperating, pattern making, etc.
Mr. Sands carried on the business until 1888 when a corporate company was formed and he disposed of his entire interest. The company is organized with a paid-up capital of $100,000. Nearly every piece of machinery used in the business - some of it is novel and intricate - was invented for, and patents are owned by White Mountain Freezer.
After complete destruction in the Nashua fire on May 4 1930, it was moved to Broad Street. In 1963, the company was sold to the Alaska Freezer Company of Winchendon, Massachusetts."
In 1974, an investor group, headed by William H. Potter, Jr., purchased the company, renaming the entire company White Mountain Freezer, Inc." Mr. Potter bought out his partners in 1981 and has been the President and owner of White Mountain Freezer, Inc. ever since.
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