Old Stuff with a Story

This old iron has seen a lot and, were it able, would have stories to tell. My grandmother used this one and another to do all the household ironing for many years. She had one on the wood stove and one in her hand, switching them as necessary to have a hot tool to use. I like to imagine the life she lived, and what the iron bore witness to. The people of her generation didn’t do laundry quite as often as we do, because they used a washboard and had to boil water to wash. Permanent press did not exist. This old iron has seen lots of shirts and dresses.

Years ago when she moved out of her house, it was one of the things I chose from her collection of household items. As a teenager, I used it as a door stop (and stubbed my toe on it more than once)! It now usually sits on my fireplace because for some reason I really like it. I recently moved it upstairs and find myself picking it up just to get the feel of it in my hand. If objects can call to a person, this one does to me.