In the early 1900s, before the invention of the refrigerator, people used an icebox to keep their food from spoiling.

Believe it or not, the ice was harvested from lakes and ponds during the coldest weeks in the winter. One of the largest icehouses in southern New England was in Litchfield.

They harvested ice from Bantam Lake, the largest natural lake in the state.

This week, naturalist Mark Fowler teams up with News 12 photojournalist Lori Golias as they take to the ice with researcher James Fischer to learn about the ice harvesting industry and even watch a demonstration on how to cut blocks of ice.

In this week's Road Trip Close to Home, we'll take you to White Memorial Conservation Center.