So far, I have found the best digital materials for my project on the Library of Congress website. The Farm Services Administration, Office of War Information took a lot of photos in the 1920s-1940s. I've found almost 100 useful photos that do not have any restrictions on their use and are already digitized. I looked at the Smithsonian website, but it was not as helpful because it charges for some of the things that I might have used. There is a great brochure on how to choose a washing machine from the USDA's Agriculture Information Series (1948). I'm also using various books to help me understand the timing of the changes in household technology. My main interest is 1920-1950, and I'm focusing on washing machines, refrigerators, and stoves. I came across a good website for a washing machine museum, but since everything is copyrighted and the images are for sale, I only plan to cite facts from it and not copy photos from it.
Materials I've Digitized (though not for my class project)
(1) Ground crew mechanics next to bomber (likely a B-17), either 96th or 447th bomb group, US Army Air Corps, southeastern England (probably either Snetterton Heath or Rattlesden air base), circa 1943-44. Scanned from a photo. Do not know who took the photo. My Dad was a sheet metal mechanic and is in the top row, far left side.
(2) Maryville, MO, December 1962, Christmas decorations. Scanned from a slide. Photo taken by Dean E. Medsker.
(3) Havana, Cuba, 1953. Scanned from a B&W negative. Photo taken by Dean E. Medsker.
Very much looking forward to your project on washing machines. When I was very little, I always liked helping my grandmother ho had an old tub washer with a ringer that you passed the clothes through to squeeze out the water.
ReplyDeleteI am curious if there is any museum devoted to household appliances or if any surviving manufacturer, like whirlpool, for example, has some kind of museum or showroom.