The Gadsby's Tavern Ice Well

The Gadsby's Tavern Ice Well (HM108Y)

Location: Alexandria, VA 22314
Buy Virginia State flags at Flagstore.com!
Country: United States of America
Buy United States of America flags at Flagstore.com!

N 38° 48.344', W 77° 2.615'

  • 0 likes
  • 0 check ins
  • 0 favorites
  • 513 views
Inscription
Underground ice wells were used in the 18th and 19th centuries to store ice for use during the warm months. In Alexandria, blocks of ice were cut from the Potomac River. Ice was placed in this well through a square opening which is marked in the pavement above.

The well consist of shallow brick dome, a circular brick shaft 15' deep and 17' in diameter and a sand floor. A brick tunnel extends from the well to the basement of the tavern. Originally the well was completely underground. In 1976 it was strengthened by the installation of steel bands, and the wing area and windows were installed.

This well, a rare survivor, served the tavern and the town. Tavern keeper John Gadsby sold ice in 1805 for 8? per pound. The ice well was restored by the City of Alexandria in 1976 as part of the restoration of Gadsby Tavern. You may tour Gadsby's Tavern Museum to learn more about the well or the tavern.
Details
HM NumberHM108Y
Tags
Placed ByCity of Alexandria Virginia
Marker ConditionNo reports yet
Date Added Thursday, October 2nd, 2014 at 1:20am PDT -07:00
Pictures
Sorry, but we don't have a picture of this historical marker yet. If you have a picture, please share it with us. It's simple to do. 1) Become a member. 2) Adopt this historical marker listing. 3) Upload the picture.
Locationbig map
UTM (WGS84 Datum)18S E 322551 N 4297202
Decimal Degrees38.80573333, -77.04358333
Degrees and Decimal MinutesN 38° 48.344', W 77° 2.615'
Degrees, Minutes and Seconds38° 48' 20.64" N, 77° 2' 36.90" W
Driving DirectionsGoogle Maps
Area Code(s)202, 703, 571
Closest Postal AddressAt or near 400 Cameron St, Alexandria VA 22314, US
Alternative Maps Google Maps, MapQuest, Bing Maps, Yahoo Maps, MSR Maps, OpenCycleMap, MyTopo Maps, OpenStreetMap

Is this marker missing? Are the coordinates wrong? Do you have additional information that you would like to share with us? If so, check in.

Check Ins  check in   |    all

Have you seen this marker? If so, check in and tell us about it.

Comments 0 comments

Maintenance Issues
  1. Is this marker part of a series?
  2. What historical period does the marker represent?
  3. What historical place does the marker represent?
  4. What type of marker is it?
  5. What class is the marker?
  6. What style is the marker?
  7. Does the marker have a number?
  8. What year was the marker erected?
  9. This marker needs at least one picture.
  10. Can this marker be seen from the road?
  11. Is the marker in the median?