Hoosier Cabinet - Ponoka, Alberta
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T0SHEA
N 52° 40.868 W 113° 35.046
12U E 325320 N 5839933
This Hoosier Cabinet is in the Fort Ostell Museum. It is on Hwy. 2A across from Petro Canada. The museum is a great place to visit while in Ponoka.
Waymark Code: WMZ8HM
Location: Alberta, Canada
Date Posted: 09/29/2018
Views: 1
This Hoosier cabinet with sifter is most likely circa 1920 to 1930. The Hoosier cabinet has the original flour sifter attached to the left in a upper cabinets: note the hand crank on the sifter. The sifter, based on the rectangle design with oval window was helpful in determining its approximate vintage.
The Hoosier cabinet with porcelain work top, drawer pulls and other hardware seem original. The cabinet is oak and is still in reasonable condition.
This style of Hoosier cabinet with built-in sifter was the main work station for the busy homemaker. Bread and biscuit making was an essential part of daily life. The dough was hand kneaded on the counter top and set to rise in a warm place most likely in the upper compartment of a wood burning stove.
There is an interesting display of old spice and flavorings bottles and boxes as well as an old hand sifter. Though these may not be typical items stored in this style of cabinet, generally speaking cookbooks, small hand tools as well as baking and muffin pans were kept handy for the busy homemaker. The drawers were also storage of other small kitchen utensils with a flour bin below the two smaller drawers.
Hoosier was a manufacturer of these types of cabinets around 1899. The term "Hoosier" has since become a generic designation to describe this style of cabinets. Many were ordered from Sears catalogs or other vendors by mail order.
The Fort Ostell Museum society was founded in 1967 with their first museum was housed in a log building. Fort Ostell Museum moved this newly constructed facility in 1987.
This is an interesting museum with displays divided into topics: sleigh display, nurses at PMH (Provincial Mental Hospital), creamery, original Fort Ostell, World Wars, early bridal dresses, a school rooms and many household appliances. Near the entrance is a guest book and a timeline highlighting events from 1867 to 2017.