Home & Handwork: Vintage Housewares

In every generation, the home has been the center of daily life. In Mathews County, the tools and technologies of homemaking tell a rich story—one of hard work, ingenuity, and transformation. Our vintage housewares collection brings together ovens, washing machines, irons, and other items that once defined the rhythm of home.

In the early 1900s, homemaking was hard physical labor. Laundry was done by hand, meals were cooked over wood-burning stoves, and water had to be pumped from the ground. Gradually, as electricity reached rural communities, appliances like irons and wringer washers transformed daily routines. The postwar boom brought gas ranges, electric mixers, and refrigerators into reach for more families—including those in Mathews.

By the 1970s, homemaking was shaped by convenience and color—appliances came in bright hues and offered time-saving features. Yet in rural Mathews, many homes blended modern tech with trusted older tools. Today, this collection helps us reflect on those transitions—and the people behind them.

Timeline of Change: 1900s–Today

This exhibit offers hands-on learning for all ages. Students can explore how household inventions changed work, time, and even gender roles. Activities include comparing daily routines across decades, calculating time saved by appliances, and writing “day in the life” stories from 1930s Mathews.