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The Annual Tobyhanna Millpond #1 Ice Harvest is planned for Saturday, January 31, 2026, provided we have sufficient ice, more information on the ice thickness will be forthcoming. We will begin sawing ice around 9:00 AM and usually continue until approximately 2:00 PM, with a lunch break for the ice harvesters around noon. All ages are welcome to come out and experience living history as participants in an important industry from a century ago. You are invited to help cut ice, guide the ice cakes to the icehouse, stack the ice cakes inside the icehouse, or simply watch as we reenact the process of harvesting ice. This free event is organized by the Leonard/Saxe families with financial support from the Coolbaugh Township Historical Association.

This year we will debut the complete restoration of our old reliable 1918 Gifford ice saw with a 4-cylinder Buda engine, thanks to the craftsmanship of Mike and Dave Fairservice and Harry Smith. These mechanical wizards completed a full overhaul of the century-old saw, believed to be one of only a few operating ice saws of this type in existence. We will also use our smaller 1921 Gifford Wood ice saw with a 2-cylinder LeRoi engine, which has recently undergone mechanical preservation. This saw’s condition is incredibly original, and it still retains service date markings from the late 1920s on the inside of the chain guard.

See link for additional information.