People who lived in town all had rain barrels under their house eves for laundry purposes. Rain water was "soft", unlike well water which was hard. The wells went nearly dry in the summer months.The males of the family carried the water and built the fires on washday. In the winter, the clothes on the line would turn into ice sheets.What a mess that was thawing out all those icy clothes ! But people back then didnt have to lock their doors, and ate healthier food than we moderns do. And your neighbors were always willing to help any way they could in times of trouble. Shelby

My grandmothers strung clothes lines across the kitchen in the winter months to dry. And cooked a large pot of soup beans to help dry the clothes. Mother also did this with a ringer washer until the mid 50's. The dirtiest was washed on a scrub board. Mother knew the name of every leaf, tree, weed, bird and all about them. I cherish her memory and miss my precious West Virginia mother. fondly, Judi BurgessWV@aol.com wrote: > People who lived in town all had rain barrels under their house eves for >laundry purposes. Rain water was "soft", unlike well water which was hard. The >wells went nearly dry in the summer months.The males of the family carried the >water and built the fires on washday. In the winter, the clothes on the line >would turn into ice sheets.What a mess that was thawing out all those icy >clothes ! But people back then didnt have to lock their doors, and ate healthier >food than we moderns do. And your neighbors were always willing to help any way >they could in times of trouble. > >Shelby > > >============================== >Find your ancestors in the Birth, Marriage and Death Records. >New content added every business day. Learn more: >http://www.ancestry.com/s13964/rd.ashx > > > > >