Hoosier Cabinet - Newport, Washington
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T0SHEA
N 48° 10.662 W 117° 02.674
11U E 496686 N 5336052
This Hoosier Cabinet is on the first floor of the Pend Oreille County Historical Museum located at 402 S. Washington Avenue in Newport.
Waymark Code: WMXW6T
Location: Washington, United States
Date Posted: 03/06/2018
Views: 1
Pend Oreille County Historical Museum is one of the most interesting museums we have visited, including those that took all day to tour. The museum complex consists of the historic I. & W. N. Depot building built in 1908 which houses the gift shop and displays on the first and second floors. This Hoosier Cabinet is one of many displays on the first floor.
The cabinet with porcelain work top is original and painted rather than oak, which tends to be a less expensive cabinet. All the draw pulls and other hardware seem original.
There are typical kitchen items displayed in and on the cabinet that would be common during this time period. Typically there is a sifter attached to the left side of the upper cabinet. The door was opened making it difficult to determine if a shelve was present where the sifter would be mounted, or possibly is did not have a sifter or it is just missing.
This style of Hoosier cabinet, 1920's, was the main work station for the busy homemaker. Bread and biscuit making was an essential part of daily life. The dough was hand knead on the porcelain counter top and set to rise in a warm place most likely in the upper compartment of a wood burning stove. This style of cabinet became very popular as utensils and other items such as bowls, pans and even cookbooks were more convenient and on hand when needed.
Hoosier was a manufacturer of these types of cabinets around 1899. The term "Hoosier" has since become a generic designation to describe these style of cabinets. There is a metal name plate on the cabinet, however impossible to read.