Volume 8 , Issue 9

Pioneer Washing Days...

"The above ground cistern is what we used to call a Rain Barrel and many houses still had them in the 1930's, even in town where the had running water. Women liked to wash there hair in the rainwater because the thought it made the hair softer and shinery. What I remember about them in the summer time the water was usually full of wigglers (fly and misquito larva, I think). They would strain them out by pouring the water through cheescloth before using. Also... if you didn't keep the ice broken up in the winter, the ice would burst the barrel. I found this article in a soft cover booklet titled Rare Recipes and Budget Savers published by the Wichita Eagle in the 1960's. It is a compilation of letters received by Frank Good who was editor of a daily column HOME TOWN NEWS. I thought it interesting and amusing. (notice the reference to rainwater which probably came from a cistern)." -- Earl Fugit   |  View or Add Comments (0 Comments)   |   Receive updates ( subscribers)  |   Unsubscribe

---