From Ice Plant to Amphitheater: A Lexington Landmark Reimagined

Believe it or not, the Icehouse Amphitheater wasn’t always what it is today. Scroll the timeline below and learn more about how it came to be.

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  1. BeforeThe Civil War

    A land grant, then a shoe shop

    The property began as part of an original land grant. Before the Civil War, a shoe shop stood on the site.

  2. Later19th – 20th c.

    Cotton, fertilizer, and coal

    The land went on to house a cotton warehouse and a fertilizer and coal sales company — a working corner of a working downtown.

  3. 1928The ice plant

    300-pound blocks, cut down to 50

    An ice plant opened on the property. Blocks were made at 300 pounds, then cut down to 50-pound blocks sized to fit a residential icebox.

    The original ice plant building with stacked ice blocks beside it
    The ice plant that gave the amphitheater its name.
  4. 1970Frank Havird

    Ice, and now propane

    Frank Havird purchased the plant and added a propane distributorship to the operation.

  5. Until 2012Palmetto Propane

    Two generations on the same corner

    Paul and Eddie Havird owned and operated Palmetto Propane on the site, keeping the property in continuous use for more than four decades.

  6. 2012The Vision Plan

    The Town buys the property

    Town Council adopted the Vision Plan — a roadmap for Lexington's future — and the Town purchased the property to build an amphitheater, part of a broader effort to revitalize downtown and add to quality of life for residents.

    Placeholder image for the 2012 Vision Plan milestone
    The Town of Lexington purchases the property.
  7. ConstructionProject Icehouse

    A bowl cut into the hillside

    The venue was designed to connect downtown — linking the site to Lexington Square Park, Virginia Hylton Park, the Lexington Municipal Complex, and the Palmetto Collegiate Institute.

    Aerial view of the amphitheater seating bowl under construction
    The seating bowl taking shape during construction.
  8. Today900 seats

    A 900-seat venue in the middle of town

    The Icehouse Amphitheater hosts concerts and community events year-round — the newest destination for residents and visitors looking for a night out downtown.

  9. NextProject Icehouse

    Still being built

    Future development includes boutique retail and eateries, continuing the revitalization of downtown Lexington.

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