the way of life: at home
How was it, then? How did they do things? It is rare to have pictures of people going about their routine, doing nothing special, or so it seemed at the time. In this surprising little series, Edward Tomek captured his mom Emma doing the laundry and she and family and neighbors in the kitchen and living room. He snapped this in about 1955. He took quite a few pictures when he came home from the service, and I'm glad he did! And even happier that he has shared them.
laundry
Emma Tomek hanging clothes, by Edward Tomek, her son. Photo 1030.
Edward came home from the Marines with a new camera and snapped many a picture in 1954 and 1955. This is one of them. He smiles on seeing this picture, and says, "She was not pleased!" The rest of us are. Look at those brilliant white sheets, the clothesline, the yard!
When posted on Facebook in December 2015, this photo gathered some comments.
When posted on Facebook in December 2015, this photo gathered some comments.
Luella Hinrichsen:
I always wished I had one of my mother-in-law hanging out her clothes, such huge washes. I think this is a rare photo indeed! Love it
Larry Layden
I remember my sister telling me of the competition among farm wives as to who would be first to hang the wash on the line. She said one neighbor was nearly always first. After years of domination she was asked how she was able to hang her washing so early. She said she hung (hanged?) her sheets etc. on the line before washing to relax the fibers (?).
Anyway she always had a head start.
joyce newton
They were also observed for whiteness; thus the emphasis on bleaching ; women are always in some kind of competition it seems. I remember carrying the sheets in when they were frozen solid-- like carrying a board. I loved it!
marilyn smith
This picture captures so much of the past!!!
larry layden
I remember using the clothespins for target putative with my B-B. gun. My Mother and sister could never figure out why some were broken and why some had a little round dent. I either fussed up or got caught. Probably the latter.
Photo 1817, "Grandma McCoy washing clothes," shared by Terry Korrel.
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A young Della McCoy with her little brother Mylum, shared by Terry Korrel.
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cecil bowen takes a break, her clothes hanging in the breeze |
Photo 7318, shared by Doug Bowen, son of Cecil's son Boyd
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in the kitchen
anna hanna's kitchen
Anna Hubka Hanna, mother of Evelyn, Elsie, and Eddie Hanna, lived in a tiny house on the south side of town. Her granddaughter Deborah Anderson shared these pictures, which were taken on different occasions.
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Note the kitchen clock, probably a family heirloom. Note the bare lightbulb, the clear plastic covering to protect the lower part of the wall paper.
Anna Hubka Hanna as a young woman. Photo 4041.
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Anna Hanna and Tillie Rademacher in the Hanna kitchen. Tillie, who was from Auburn, was the mother of Anna's son Eddie. Photo 6902.
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Photo 3665.
emma tomek's kitchen
Emma, mother of Edward, Milan, and George Tomek, lived on a farm southeast of town. Her son Edward took and shared these pictures.
Emma Tomek's kitchen proper. It sparkles! Fridge on the left, kitchen range to the right. Photo 1116.
An extra picture, out of time for the circa 1955 pictures on this page. Same kitchen, but years later; Edward has gotten married and had kids of his own. Here they are, Chuck and Chris. Looks like it's Chuck's 2nd birthday. Now you can see the kitchen range better. New table and chairs. Still a chest freezer in the mud room beyond the kitchen. Different wall paper. Photo 1173.
"ben & me in our kitchen...."
Ben & Josephine Hunzeker southeast of Table Rock, within sight of the Rudy Fritch, Sr., home. Ben & Josephine's daughter Dorothy and Rudy's son Rudy, Jr., grew up in sight of each other, married, and have been married, as of 2018, for well in excess of 60 years.
Benjamin & Josephine Karas Hunzeker. Photo 4049, shared by Megan Holes.
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Ben & Josephine at an earlier time. Photo 4047.
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eating in the kitchen
Photo 1250, by Edward Tomek.
becky sitzman's kitchen
2006. At the table are Bob & Becky Sitzman with, in the foreground, daughter-in-law Karla Sitzman and niece Holly Sitzman.
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Becky Roberts Sitzman at age 5, shared by Sharla Sitzman.
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in the dining room
Photo 666 -- no dates, no names, but certainly a family gathering. Why the white draping over the picture in the background? A birthday, a funeral, a name day? It certainly does not look everyday. This is from Ines Madden's collection. The only name mentioned is a reference to the man in the far back right as "Lawrence Griffing?" Two women are seen in other photos in the Historical Society Collection, those 1st and 3rd from the right. The one on the far right is in a portrait hanging over the Opera House door.
emma tomek's dining room
The Tomek family, Grandpa Stepanek, George, John and Ruth, Emma, Edward standing, Bill, and Ed. Photo 1020, by Edward Tomek.
Thanksgiving. Edward says the plates were from Japan. Note the formica table, the marbelized vinyl of the chairs, the rolling cart seen in so many kitchens in the 1950s. Photo 1039 from Edward Tomek.
George Gilbert carves the turkey while Ed Tomek looks on. Note the view through the door, looks like a mud room. Photo 1040 from Edward Tomek.
Marvin Blecha in dark gray shirt, Emma Tomek on left, George Tomek in background; not sure who the others are. Photo 1050.
dining room in one of gary frank's family pictures |
Photo 3785, shared by Gary Frank.
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in the living room
John & Maude Heer in their living room, with their piano. Photo 6607, shared by Linda Warner.
Emma & Ed Tomek's living room. Photo 1115.
A card game after supper. The kitchen table must still be occupied, and now the card table comes out. Note the piano with a blue music book, lots of photos on top. Photo 1049.
See the drapes in the photo above? Here's a better view of that part of the living room, with Milan Tomek demonstrating a pensive mood. Photo 1108.