The Baumgartner House, as pictured today.
Source: Judson McCranie, CC BY-SA 3.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0>, via Wikimedia Commons
Founded in 1903 by R.C. Baumgartner, the Glynn Ice Company was a crucial part of the community. Long before refrigerators existed, iceboxes were used to keep food and provisions cold, and the Glynn Ice Company provided this ice. During the company’s early years, horse and buggy was used to transport ice from colder climates. As technology and populations grew, so did the Ice Company. In 1907, Glynn Ice Company expanded to a larger headquarters located on the north end of Newcastle Street. Here, nearly 75 tons of ice could be held and produced a day.
A few years later, the F.D.M. Strachan took control of operations. The economic boom following the first World War led to a higher demand for ice than ever before. In 1920, the company moved locations once again, and was now located on George Street— its current location. The company also expanded its product line to include coal.
Ice and coal were delivered by horse/buggy and train nearly every day. In the year 1930, a prominent businessman, named F.D. Aiken took over the company. Aiken, who served as the President of the Brunswick Bank and Trust, officially changed the name to the Glynn Ice and Coal Company.
While Glynn Ice Company was a staple to life for many in the first half of the 20th century, technology ultimately caught up. Shrimp boats without refrigerators became the main consumer of the Ice Company, and as time passed, the company ownership changed hands many times. Aiken passed it on to his son in 1944, who went on to sell it to Hugh K. Tollison and his family. In 1976, the company was sold to Party Time Ice Co, and in 1982, the company shut down its operations for good.
After years of abandonment and decay, the building was set for demolition. However, after a petition and proposals from several Brunswick citizens, the building was salvaged for a restoration project. In 2003, roughly 30% of the building was restored and turned into a personal residence, and awarded an Excellence in Preservation by the city of Brunswick.
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