Frederic Tudor’s Tropical Ice Empire

In 1806, American merchant Frederic Tudor, later known as Boston’s “Ice King,” began shipping New England ice to warmer markets, even as newspapers mocked the idea of selling frozen water to the tropics. Tudor packed ice with sawdust, wood shavings, or rice chaff to slow melting, then built ice houses in tropical ports to create demand for cold drinks. His most profitable market came in 1833, when the brig Tuscany carried 180 tons of ice from Boston to Calcutta and still delivered 100 tons after the long voyage. Over the next 20 years, Calcutta became his most lucrative destination and brought him an estimated $220,000 in profits.

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