Root cellars were used here primarily for storing vegetables during the winter months. Back before the days of electricity, of course.
Elliston, Newfoundland is well known for its root cellars. Elliston is the self-proclaimed, root cellar capital of the world with approximately 133 documented root cellars.
Some of the older root cellars in Elliston date back to around 1839.
Below are some pictures of these root cellars.