Long Lake water had a reputation for its clean quality and the ice-making industry flourished for over sixth years. A conveyer carries the ice up from the water to a platform from where it is loaded on sleighs at the Peoples Coal and Ice Company. Commercial ice houses dating back to the early 1890s were located on the north, east, and southwestern shores of the lake. They flourished until the 1950s when modernized refrigeration made them virtually extinct.
The Armistice Day Blizzard of November 11, 1940, found many residents of New Brighton providing food and shelter for storm victims. Many cars were stranded and travelers rescued by New Brighton residents during the fierce storm.
The Armistice Day Blizzard of November 11, 1940, hit New Brighton hard. On the day following the blizzard, Phil Hadock and Sid Weber stand behind a big drift next to Butch Schmalzbauer's Jack Sprat Food Store to talk about the weather. Many New Brightonites took stranded travelers into their homes overnight.