Before There Were Snowplows, There Were Snow Rollers

Core 77 introduces us to the snow roller, an old piece of technology that was used to clear roads before diesel-powered snowplows roamed the streets, hunting for powdery prey. Snow rollers were often weighted with stones to pack down the snow. This particular images dates to 1930 in Maine, so such machines exist within living memory.

A fully-functional one still exists, thanks to the restoration work of craftsmen associated with the Bartlett Historical Society in New Hampshire. You can find process photos and descriptions of this amazing reconstruction here.