Digital History: Stories from Maine Memory Network 

Historic Object:

Maytag washing machine and butter churn, ca. 1942 

Contributed by the Southern Aroostook Agricultural Museum, this washing machine is one of many objects in our new museum exhibit, Wired! How Electricity Came to Maine, that illustrate generation, transmission, and consumption of electricity in the state. Made by Maytag, this electric model has a removable cream separator/butter churn attachment. The attachment is the steel canister inside the washtub, which fits over the pin for the agitator; the white housing on top holds the wringer. Appliances such as this were marketed to rural housewives and farming families who were less likely to adopt electricity than families in cities and towns. Once rural areas were wired, utility companies promoted benefits such as electric milking machines and lighted and heated chicken coops. Electric washing machines agitated clothes to clean them, replacing the manual labor of hand washing. Visit this Maine Memory Network catalog record and listen to an audio clip of Dot Campbell describing her use of a washer/butter churn in the 1950s.  

This Week      

 

Thursday, June 21, 5-7pm

Exhibit opening reception for MHS members & special guests

Carbon filament bulb with evacuation tip, ca. 1900; photo by Peter Macomber

Join us to celebrate our new museum exhibit, Wired! How Electricity Came to Maine.

Wired! explores the electrification of Maine during the 20th century, and how a rural state became modern. Told primarily through material from the Central Maine Power collection, it explores the landscape, mechanics, economics, politics, and culture of electricity. To learn more about the exhibit, visit our website.

RSVP to Elizabeth Nash at (207) 774-1822 ext. 206, or enash@mainehistory.org.

 

Limited parking is available in the Brown Street lot after 5pm. Enjoy after-hours shopping in the Museum Store.   

 

 

Friday, June 22

Exhibit opens to the public 

Museum Hours: Monday-Saturday, 10am-5pm, Sunday 12-5pm

Ongoing Program