The city of Niles is once again gearing up for the annual Hunter Ice Festival! Since 2004, the city of Niles has hosted the Festival to celebrate winter and pay homage to a local industry which arose from the area’s abundance of pure ice and snow. From 1898 to 1924, the Hunter Brothers Ice Company found success in harvesting ice from Barron Lake.

Before the days of artificial ice production, people took advantage of natural resources to preserve food.  Homes were outfitted with an icebox, which held a large block of ice delivered by an ice man, first by horse drawn wagons and later by truck. Beyond home use, the ice industry saw massive growth at the end of the 19th century, with rising demand for fresh dairy, produce and meat, which were transported over great distances. The Hunter Brothers responded to this demand and mobilized to supply ice to a large regional area. 

Henry and Lemont Hunter moved to Niles from Chicago in 1898. They purchased 22 acres of land near Barron Lake in Howard Township and founded the Hunter Brothers Ice Company. Ice harvested by the Hunter Brothers was used in homes and businesses throughout the region. The Michigan Central Railroad was also a major consumer of Hunter Brothers ice, with tracks located near the ice houses. MCRR used ice to keep food fresh in the dining cars and to refrigerate the agricultural products being transported.

While natural ice sources were used as a way to refrigerate products in the 19th and early 20th centuries, artificial refrigeration became more commonplace by the 1920s. In order to adjust to the changing industry, the company found ways to innovate, adding the production of dairy products such as butter and ice cream. In 1914, the name was changed to the Hunter Ice and Ice Cream Company. In 1919, the Hunter Brothers built a freezing plant at Hickory and ninth streets where they produced 25 tons of artificial ice daily. The Hunter Brothers, however, did not operate this plant for long, and in 1924, the Hunter Ice and Ice Cream Company was sold to Consumer Ice Company in Jackson, Michigan.

As artificial refrigeration became the norm, several other companies saw success in producing and distributing artificial refrigerators for use in both commercial businesses and private residences. Tyler Refrigeration was one such company.

In 1927, entrepreneur Jerry Tyler founded the Tyler Sales Fixture Corporation in Muskegon Heights. The company started with Jerry, his wife, Mary, and two employees.  Tyler Sales Fixture Corporation became known for the production of store display racks. In 1932, Tyler moved to Niles and quickly sought to expand his business endeavors. He purchased a local business, the Dry-Kold Refrigeration Company, in order to expand the products he could offer his clientele. Five years later, the company’s name was changed to Tyler Fixture Corporation and later, Tyler Refrigeration Corporation. By 1947, the company consisted of four production facilities; two in Niles, one in Cobleskill, New York and one in Waxahachie, Texas. At that time Tyler also employed over 1000 people. Jerry remained president of the company until his tragic death in the 1946 Chicago LaSalle Hotel fire. His brother, Robert, took over the company after Jerry’s death and served as president until his retirement in 1969.

Tyler Refrigeration saw many firsts in the commercial refrigeration industry. They were the first commercial refrigeration company to use welded steel construction in their factories. The corporation introduced walk-in freezers and open, self-service frozen food displays into their product lines. Thanks to these monumental products, at one time Tyler Refrigeration was the leading producer of commercial refrigeration units in the country! The company remained in Niles until 2009.

This year, Niles will celebrate its 16th annual Hunter Ice Festival. One highlight of the Festival includes ice cream for sale based on a Hunter Brothers’ original recipe. The Fort St. Joseph Museum will be open on Saturday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. with a display of historical photos and artifacts related to the Hunter Brothers Ice Company and Tyler Refrigeration.

Christina Arseneau is the director of the Niles History Center. For more information, she can be reached at by calling (269) 845-4054 or HCdirector@nilesmi.org.