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Museums 301: Washing machines (photo diary) [1]

['This Content Is Not Subject To Review Daily Kos Staff Prior To Publication.']

Date: 2023-06-11

We don’t know for sure how long humans have been wearing clothes. But we can be certain that sometime after clothing was “invented” the need to wash or clean clothes to rid them of dirt, smells, and lice became a concern. After a few thousand years of washing clothes along stream banks and lake shores, inventive humans began to play with the idea of creating machines which would clean clothes.

The idea of the washing machines may have been inspired by sea-going voyages in which some people would put their dirty laundry into a strong cloth bag, tie a rope to it, and then throw it overboard. The bag would then be dragged behind the ship for a few hours during which time water would be forced through the dirty clothes. The principle was simple: forcing water through dirty clothes removes dirt.

By the early 1800s, a number of enterprising people were utilizing this principle in machines which could wash clothes. Sometimes this machine was simply a box which would be filled with dirty clothes and water and then the box would be tumbled with a hand crank.

Many history museums include various kinds of washing machines in their displays. Shown below are some of these washing machines.

Heritage Museum, Libby, Montana

Shown above is a wringer washer made by Horton Manufacturing Co. about 1908.

Shown above is an unidentified washing machine.

Shown above a wooden rocker washer by an unknown manufacturer from about 1900.

Shown above is wringer washing made by Marshall Wells Manufacturing Company about 1925.

Shown above is the Double Barrel Electric Washer made by Dexter Manufacturing Co. about 1920.

Shown above is a 1937 Maytag Wringer Washer.

East Benton County Museum, Kennewick, Washington

Shown above is a hand-cranked washing machine.

Swan Valley Historical Museum, Condon, Montana

Franklin County Historical Society and Museum, Pasco, Washington

Historical Museum at Fort Missoula, Missoula, Montana

Presby House Museum, Goldendale, Washington

Shown above is a hand cranked washing machine.

Shown above a ringer washing machine from 1936.

Fort Dalles Museum, The Dalles, Oregon

Sherman County Historical Museum, Moro, Oregon

Miracle of America Museum, Polson, Montana

Riverside Heritage House, Riverside, California

Tillamook County Pioneer Museum, Tillamook, Oregon

WAAAM West, Vancouver, Washington

More museum exhibits

Museums 201/301 compares similar exhibits from several museums.

Museums 201: Quilts (photo diary)

Museums 201: Antique farming equipment (photo diary)

Museums 201: The caboose (photo diary)

Museums 201: Locomotives (photo diary)

Museums 201: Women's sidesaddles (photo diary)

Museums 301: Dinnerware (photo diary)

Museums 301: Carriages and Wagons (photo diary)

Museums 301: The Blacksmith Shop (photo diary)

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[1] Url: https://www.dailykos.com/story/2023/6/11/2174155/-Museums-301-Washing-machines-photo-diary

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