This handsome antique washing machine is on display outside of a Cracker Barrel restaurant in Lewisville TX, along I-35 S frontage road just past Fox Road.
In looking at the Lee Maxwell Washing Machine Museum online, (
visit link) we think this is a Dexter model 575 from 1937. It's a gyrator-style washer with an electric motor. It must have made a horrific racket!
Dexter is still in the washing machine manufacturing business, mainly now for commercial laundromats and hotels.
From their website: (
visit link)
"History
Dexter Laundry has been helping people and companies process laundry faster and more efficiently since 1894 when it was established in Dexter, Iowa. Our company and founding city both drew their namesake from Dexter, a championship thoroughbred horse known for speed and power. Used as a model for weather vanes across the country and as the subject of a famous Currier & Ives painting featuring President Grant, Dexter the horse was the perfect symbol of American drive and quality.
Dexter Laundry began its journey in the era of hand-powered wringer washers. As wringer washers gained popularity, our founder realized he could improve upon the existing designs and capabilities. He wanted to provide customers with an affordable laundry solution that would withstand the test of time. With names such as “Monarch” and “Billy Twister,” our earliest hand-and-foot powered washers were made of wood slats bound together with metal bands. These washers were sold for as little as 15 dollars, and their sturdy structures and advanced designs made them a favorite for customers all over the country.
As our journey progressed through the century, we manufactured many types of laundry equipment. Our wooden hand-powered wringer washers gave way to single and twin tub wringer washers made of zinc, copper and porcelain. These washers featured a variety of power options, including belts, steam, gas and electricity. Around mid-century, Dexter began to manufacture top-load and front-load laundry equipment for both the home and commercial market. These machines were the precursors to the home and commercial laundry equipment we are all familiar with today. A couple of decades later, we restructured our product offering and began focusing solely on commercial laundry products.
Dexter Laundry relocated to Fairfield, Iowa, in 1908. Today, more than a century later, we still call Fairfield home, and we manufacture all of our products at our facility here in the United States. With an emphasis on quality and a refusal to compromise, we have flourished and grown into a leader in the vended and on-premise laundry industries. Today, Dexter is 100 percent employee owned and offers a complete line of washers, dryers and management systems to laundry owners and managers across the globe.
Even though our company and products have evolved over the years, we haven’t forgotten our roots. Our logo keeps the Dexter horse icon to remind us of our champion namesake and to symbolize our dedication to high performance, unmatched strength, unrivaled endurance and loyalty to our Dexter customers. The "T" in our model names stands for thoroughbred, and we work hard every day to produce equipment with a beautiful appearance, energetic stance and a workhorse attitude. Our goal is not only to run the race but also to help our customers beat their competition."