Refrigerated Collection

Kenworth Tractor unit with refrigerated trailer

Inspecting a freight train from Mexico for smuggled immigrants, El Paso, Texas, 1938. Creator: Dorothea Lange
Inspecting a freight train from Mexico for smuggled immigrants. El Paso, Texas

Freight moving east near Odessa, Texas, 1937. Creator: Dorothea Lange
Freight moving east near Odessa, Texas

Armour Meat Refrigeration Plant - Berisso, nr Buenos Aires
Berisso near Buenos Aires, Argentina - enormous cold meat plant of the American Armour company, who specialised in refrigeration of meat for export and transportation purposes. Photographed at night

Diesel switch engine moving freight cars... South Water street... Illinois Central R.R
Diesel switch engine moving freight cars at the South Water street freight terminal of the Illinois Central R.R. Chicago, Ill. [Refrigerated wagon]

Mr. J. Benjamins daughter waiting on a customer in her fathers store, Washington, D. C. 1942. Creator: Gordon Parks
Washington, D.C. Mr. J. Benjamins daughter waiting on a customer in her fathers store

City of Durban unloading cargo, Pool of London
The City of Durban passenger and refrigerated cargo ship having cargo moved onto barges in the Pool of London, River Thames. Date: circa 1950s

OJ Concentrate Plant Date: 1950

Butter Exhibit, Canadian Pavilion, Franco-British Exhibition, White City, London. Date: 1908

Refrigerated meat railway carriage, 1890 C013 / 9060
Refrigerated meat railway carriage, 19th-century artwork. The carcasses here are mutton and lamb. Artwork from the 5th volume (first period of 1890)

Scenes on board the SS Austral: the drawing room, the dining room and the promenade deck. The SS Austral, a passenger vessel which took part in the early transportation by sea of refrigerated meat

Butchers shop display, Walton-on-the-Naze, Essex
A Prestcold refrigerated display cabinet at C R Harris Butchers in Walton-on-the-Naze, Essex, with advertising material for Birds Eye and Frood foods. 1965

Advertisement for refrigeration units for ships
An advertisement for The Bell-Coleman Mechanical Refrigeration Company of Glasgow and London, Makers of Cold Air and Ice Making Machinery, as used on board various ships

The SS Austral, a passenger vessel which took part in the early transportation by sea of refrigerated meat between Australia and Europe

Refrigerated milk cart, 19th century
Refrigerated milk cart. This design, from the USA, used ice to keep the air temperature cool for the transport of milk. Holes in the compartments allowed air to circulate from where the ice

Chicago Stockyards 12
Carcases of meat hang from hooks in the huge refrigerated rooms of the Chicago Stockyards

Chicago Stockyards 15
Every year, between 3 and 4 million cows enter the Chicago stockyards, ending up as carcases in refrigerated rooms before being despatched to their destinations

Chicago Stockyards 11
Joints of meat are stacked in huge refrigerated rooms at the Chicago Stockyards

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"Preserving Freshness: A Journey through the World of Refrigeration" Step into a world where temperature control revolutionized industries and transformed lives. From the Kenworth Tractor unit with its refrigerated trailer to the Armour Meat Refrigeration Plant in Berisso, near Buenos Aires, witness the power of cold storage. In 1943, amidst bustling South Water Street, an iconic Diesel switch engine maneuvered freight cars for the Illinois Central R. R. In Chicago. This image captures the pivotal role refrigeration played in transporting perishable goods across vast distances. Meanwhile, Mr. J. Benjamin's daughter patiently awaits a customer at her father's store in Washington D. C. , circa 1942. The advent of refrigeration allowed small businesses like theirs to offer fresh produce year-round, enhancing convenience for customers. Across continents and oceans, we find ourselves on London's Pool of London witnessing the City of Durban unloading cargo from distant lands. Thanks to refrigeration technology, delicate goods could now be transported safely over long journeys without compromising quality or taste. The year is 1950 as we step into an OJ Concentrate Plant - a testament to how refrigeration made it possible to preserve fruits' natural flavors while extending their shelf life for consumers worldwide. Traveling back further in time brings us to the Franco-British Exhibition where a Butter Exhibit proudly showcases Canada's dairy prowess thanks to efficient cooling techniques that kept butter fresh and delectable even during extended exhibitions. Beyond food preservation lies medical breakthroughs; Chikungunya virus research takes center stage as scientists harness refrigeration's capabilities to study this debilitating disease and develop potential treatments that could save countless lives. Delving deeper into history reveals an early innovation – a refrigerated meat railway carriage dating back to 1890 – highlighting how this technology has been integral since its inception in ensuring safe transportation of perishables across vast distances.