Rihm Monthly Magazine - February 2025 - Magazine - Page 2
THE INSIDE LOOK
THE KING OF COOL'S IMPACT ON TRUCKING
Article written by Libby Rihm
Did you know that the refrigerated
truck was invented in Minnesota
by a self-taught African American
engineer named Fred Jones?
Frederick McKinley Jones, now called the “King of Cool”,
was born in Kentucky in 1893. Growing up during
the rise of automobiles, Jones was fascinated by cars
from an early age. He started working in an Ohio auto
shop when he was just 11 years old. Naturally curious
and with a strong talent for fixing things, he became
a mechanic by 14 and was eventually promoted to
garage foreman. In 1912, Jones moved to Hallock,
Minnesota, to work on a large farm owned by railroad
magnate James J. Hill, servicing steam tractors.
Jones thrived in Hallock, despite the town being small
and remote. Working for Hill provided the chance to
study trains and electricity, and he eventually became
a licensed engineer. He was able to focus on his
passion for mechanical work and enjoy life with little
racial prejudice. Jones once told the Saturday Evening
Post that Hallock was the kind of place “where a man…
[was] judged more on his character and ability than on
the color of his skin."
Jones joined the U.S. Army during World War I. He was
sent to France, where he worked with an all-Black unit
as a master repairman. His skills were in high demand,
and he was quickly promoted to sergeant. While in
the army, Jones rewired camps, maintained telephone
and telegraph systems, repaired vehicles, and taught
fellow soldiers about circuitry. He returned to Hallock
after the war, where the needs of the town sparked his
first inventions. He created a sound system for the local
movie theater to play “talkies” instead of silent films,
an early radio transmitter so the area could receive
broadcasts, and a snowmobile prototype he called a
“snow machine”. This machine, made of skis attached to
an airplane body and powered by a propeller, helped
doctors make house calls during the snowy winters.
1
Jones held over 60 patents in his lifetime, but none
had as large an impact as refrigerated transportation.
In 1938, Jones’s business partner, Joe Numero, heard a
friend complain about losing a trailer full of chickens on
a trip from St. Paul to Chicago because the cargo trailer
overheated. Numero, confident Jones could invent a
solution, bet the friend $5 that he and Jones could fix
the problem. Within a month, Jones had developed a
working prototype for both a refrigerated trailer and
train car by mounting a compressor underneath the
trailer. This simple invention, born from a friendly bet,
transformed food distribution across the country and
helped create the modern supermarket. For the first
time, fresh produce and frozen foods could be shipped
anywhere and be available year-round. During World
War II, Jones adapted the technology to ships and
airplanes so that blood, medicine, and food could
reach Allied troops in the field.
Jones was uninterested in recognition during his
lifetime, focused on continuing his work instead of
seeking fame. However, during Black History Month,
it's fitting to celebrate his achievements. The next time
we enjoy our favorite ice cream, receive important
medication, or gift a Valentine's Day bouquet, we can
thank Fred Jones for making it all possible.
Fred Jones, photo originally found at ThermoKing.com