tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4872424549721246994.post5014556024918200873..comments2024-02-04T22:48:07.662-08:00Comments on FOLKWAYS NOTEBOOK: OLD WOODEN WASH HOUSEFolkways Note Bookhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07168881905408345126noreply@blogger.comBlogger32125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4872424549721246994.post-64593972927265682862012-11-05T13:34:51.937-08:002012-11-05T13:34:51.937-08:00Nance -- so nice to hear your history of washhouse...Nance -- so nice to hear your history of washhouses in Madison Co., IA. At the rate that outbuildings are coming down on farmlands I can only hope that a few will remain in the future. -- thanks barbaraFolkways Note Bookhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07168881905408345126noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4872424549721246994.post-89677766689712162312012-11-04T20:21:12.172-08:002012-11-04T20:21:12.172-08:00Midwest Iowa has washhouses too. My folks lived o...Midwest Iowa has washhouses too. My folks lived on a farm in Madison Co, Ia where I was born. There was a washhouse there. In 1950, the building wasn't used as a washhouse because Dad had hand-built a new house and put the gas-powered washer in the basement. But the "out" building was still called the washhouse . . . and unused washhouses can still be found on rural farmsteads today. Nancehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11526258792227541799noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4872424549721246994.post-22566482097448053522011-07-21T15:42:07.538-07:002011-07-21T15:42:07.538-07:00Darcy -- Ouch -- that would hurt for sure. Amazing...Darcy -- Ouch -- that would hurt for sure. Amazing that she learned to use a wringer as a blind person. Thanks for the comment -- barbaraFolkways Note Bookhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07168881905408345126noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4872424549721246994.post-67956795426416410552011-07-21T14:02:38.437-07:002011-07-21T14:02:38.437-07:00As a young girl I remember my blind grandma doing ...As a young girl I remember my blind grandma doing her wash with an washing machine that featured an open tub with agitator and a wringer to squeeze out the clothes. I was always amazed that she never got her fingers pinched as she fed the wet clothes into the wringer.Darcyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13474895637619727452noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4872424549721246994.post-44221237730303824152011-07-19T19:51:51.771-07:002011-07-19T19:51:51.771-07:00Laloofah -- I think that Lehman's washer looks...Laloofah -- I think that Lehman's washer looks wonderful. A bit pricey though. I like to look at Lehmans items -- haven't done so in awhile. I took an oral history once from an old farmer that told me how his mother made soap to wash with. One bar of soap was good for all types of cleaning. So in addition to washing the clothes many farm women made their own soap to wash with!Folkways Note Bookhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07168881905408345126noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4872424549721246994.post-76119680578441012982011-07-19T19:41:46.625-07:002011-07-19T19:41:46.625-07:00Tess -- Many outbuildings abound on farmsteads. I ...Tess -- Many outbuildings abound on farmsteads. I always ask neighbors or the folks that live on the farm. Maybe Ohio has an architectural book on farms which might help ID it. Thanks for the comment -- barbaraFolkways Note Bookhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07168881905408345126noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4872424549721246994.post-76850975026883235872011-07-19T14:28:39.253-07:002011-07-19T14:28:39.253-07:00Dianne -- Yes, your description of doing the wash ...Dianne -- Yes, your description of doing the wash with the wringer washer is exactly like my experience. Somehow the whole procedure brought my mother and I closer. And, I too still like clothes dried on the line. Thanks -- barbaraFolkways Note Bookhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07168881905408345126noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4872424549721246994.post-44703447462777872402011-07-19T14:22:36.947-07:002011-07-19T14:22:36.947-07:00I just took some photos of an abandoned farm over ...I just took some photos of an abandoned farm over the weekend, and there was a little out building similar to your top photo, half way between the barn and the house. I wondered what it was used for!Tess Kincaidhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04889725786678984293noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4872424549721246994.post-33040443101211370132011-07-19T14:09:28.640-07:002011-07-19T14:09:28.640-07:00Birdman -- Ahh you are revealing your age. Was a c...Birdman -- Ahh you are revealing your age. Was a common place for women to be when they washed clothes with an electric wringer washer -- long about mid-20th century. Thanks -- barbaraFolkways Note Bookhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07168881905408345126noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4872424549721246994.post-58129596492869286002011-07-19T14:05:18.733-07:002011-07-19T14:05:18.733-07:00Vicki -- I imagine washing clothes on a scrub boar...Vicki -- I imagine washing clothes on a scrub board would be tedious. As I type this I am thinking that probably young folks don't even know what a scrub board is. Thanks -- bararaFolkways Note Bookhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07168881905408345126noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4872424549721246994.post-217873061542777042011-07-19T14:02:12.140-07:002011-07-19T14:02:12.140-07:00Janet -- you are a real collector. I imagine that ...Janet -- you are a real collector. I imagine that you might have these old items by your wash area. I like old things as they were made so well and always have a lot of character. Thanks -- barbaraFolkways Note Bookhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07168881905408345126noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4872424549721246994.post-27741895573523776932011-07-19T13:59:11.935-07:002011-07-19T13:59:11.935-07:00Diane -- that is what I like about blogging. One c...Diane -- that is what I like about blogging. One can tell a story and illustrate with photos. Thanks for stoping by -- I appreciate it -- barbaraFolkways Note Bookhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07168881905408345126noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4872424549721246994.post-69514953305524923712011-07-19T13:53:56.543-07:002011-07-19T13:53:56.543-07:00Sheri -- I imagine you were happy to get that auto...Sheri -- I imagine you were happy to get that automatic washer. It does have its advantages. But I have to say I have good memories of my mother and I doing the wash with a ringer and hanging the clothes outside. -- thanks -- barbaraFolkways Note Bookhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07168881905408345126noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4872424549721246994.post-73863832229994734292011-07-19T11:31:07.794-07:002011-07-19T11:31:07.794-07:00Though I've only ever known automatic washing ...Though I've only ever known automatic washing machines, I do remember to appreciate mine often! Though I admit to having looked with no small amount of longing <a href="http://www.lehmans.com/store/Home_Goods___Laundry___Washing___Lehman_s__Laundry_Hand_Washer___32823315?Args=" rel="nofollow">at this one</a> over the years. It just seems to simple and efficient and I like that you could easily use it outside on the patio in nice weather, or during power outages, and that it uses less water and no electricity. Someday, I'd really like to have one of these! But oy, the physical labor and time involved in doing laundry back in the day, and especially during winter months... those "women of the wash house" would no doubt take a stout tree branch to our contemporaries who lightly wear something once and throw it in the hamper!Laloofahhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07256023593175821427noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4872424549721246994.post-13138374374591790052011-07-19T09:06:24.358-07:002011-07-19T09:06:24.358-07:00Indeed yes, it was the old wringer washer. We had...Indeed yes, it was the old wringer washer. We had two bigs tubs of rinse water with it. My job was to catch the clothes as they came through the wringer and push them down in the rinse water, or in the basket for hanging. I always loved hanging clothes out to dry and miss it like crazy today.schmidleysscribblins.wordpress.comhttp://schmidleysscribblins.wordpress.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4872424549721246994.post-29086407069457168482011-07-19T07:36:14.409-07:002011-07-19T07:36:14.409-07:00A separate wash house is new to me. I had a wring...A separate wash house is new to me. I had a wringer washer when I was first married, although electric, not hand cranked like the one in your picture. I'm sure that was seen as a big improvement, but I sure didn't miss it when I got an automatic a year later!Sherihttp://willowhousechronicles.wordpress.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4872424549721246994.post-61634294908226818702011-07-19T04:25:35.913-07:002011-07-19T04:25:35.913-07:00I remember Mom using a washing machine downstairs ...I remember Mom using a washing machine downstairs in the cellar with a hand wringer at the top.Birdmanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16634185585147630883noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4872424549721246994.post-15146114002105355602011-07-18T19:32:23.171-07:002011-07-18T19:32:23.171-07:00I have washed clothes by hand with a scrub board a...I have washed clothes by hand with a scrub board and it's bloody tedious. Hooray for the automatic washer! I dp like a clothes line -- with a dryer for backup on rainy days...Vicki Lanehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08114677510459055768noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4872424549721246994.post-91896926635372818642011-07-18T16:06:29.658-07:002011-07-18T16:06:29.658-07:00Interesting post. We are so lucky today. I have so...Interesting post. We are so lucky today. I have some old sad irons, washboards and a wooden folding wash stand. They are neat, but I'm glad I don't have to use them.Janet,https://www.blogger.com/profile/17796999156668844943noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4872424549721246994.post-61540455433119086032011-07-18T15:52:51.992-07:002011-07-18T15:52:51.992-07:00Just love your photo eye and the interest you have...Just love your photo eye and the interest you have to find out more that you photograph. I now have the desire to do the same here in Tennessee.<br />So fun to see your blog.Ladydy5 aka: Diane Yateshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00708060564443346716noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4872424549721246994.post-82976587141710479062011-07-18T14:43:45.206-07:002011-07-18T14:43:45.206-07:00Dianne -- hard to imagine the work it took to keep...Dianne -- hard to imagine the work it took to keep clean clothes on children in the early years. Was her first wash machine a wringer wash machine? My Mother had a wringer machine and she had me as an assistant for several years. She washed and I ran the clothes through the wringer, put them in a clothes basket and ran upstairs from the basement to hang them on the line. Actually, this was one of my favorite jobs that my Mother assigned me. Thanks for the comments -- barbaraFolkways Note Bookhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07168881905408345126noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4872424549721246994.post-2751093972833798362011-07-18T14:25:30.781-07:002011-07-18T14:25:30.781-07:00Jayne -- Actually I think it is great that you do ...Jayne -- Actually I think it is great that you do your wash by hand and use a mangle. We call a mangle a wringer in the U.S. I have thought about doing something akin to hand washing myself. <br />thanks for stopping by -- barbaraFolkways Note Bookhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07168881905408345126noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4872424549721246994.post-7673510246963180242011-07-18T11:26:10.866-07:002011-07-18T11:26:10.866-07:00Enjoy the automatic washer is right. My Mom began...Enjoy the automatic washer is right. My Mom began motherhood washing diapers on a scrub board in the bathtub. We thought it was grand when she got her first washing machine. We did the wash in the yard as you have pictured above. The old wash house looks like the "playhouse" my Dad built for us. Thanks again for brining back those old memories. Dianneschmidleysscribblins.wordpress.comhttp://schmidleysscribblins.wordpress.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4872424549721246994.post-2414389983846408302011-07-18T06:15:32.143-07:002011-07-18T06:15:32.143-07:00Love the wash house, that door and sash window wer...Love the wash house, that door and sash window were fancy for a wash house!<br />Shall I horrify you by telling you I still wash by hand and I use one of those mangles to squeeze the water out of the clothes? lol<br />We called them wash houses here in Oz, too, though most of the time they were tacked onto the back of the main (suburban) house like a lean-to or built into the verandah.Jaynehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02851305238478213940noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4872424549721246994.post-86761633954912641502011-07-17T21:10:14.249-07:002011-07-17T21:10:14.249-07:00Farmchick -- How very interesting. The only refere...Farmchick -- How very interesting. The only references that I could find about wash houses were in southern states (southern states defined by Wiki)? How nice that you have memories of the wash house and your grandmother using it. Wonderful to have a grandmother who is 95! Thanks for the great comments -- barbaraFolkways Note Bookhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07168881905408345126noreply@blogger.com