Pencils: Common in the Old West?
Were pencils common in Old West households? How early were pencils invented?
Would you be surprised to learn mechanical pencils were invented and in vogue mid-nineteenth century?
Victorian Fountain Pens
Fountain pens have made a comeback. They’re popular today–but ever wondered when they were invented? Or whether Victorians used them…or still dipped pen nibs in ink bottles? What about the fancy handwriting we see from the Victorian Era? Did you know special business schools taught students proper penmanship for business purposes? This article covers it all.
Old West: Toothbrushes and Toothpaste
Oral hygiene in the Old West? Absolutely! What did they use for toothpaste?–homemade or from the mercantile (or catalog)? This article is rich in historical resources about toothpowders, toothpaste, toothbrushes, when they were patented, and what they were made of.
P.S.: Old Laundry Implements…On Vacation
While on vacation with my family in Long Beach, Washington, I found a clothes wringer on display, proudly proclaiming its use in 1876. The labor-saving machinery intrigued me!
19th Century Washing Machines
Laundry was a greater challenge– and more work– than most amateur historians comprehend. Even when methods gave way from a washboard to a washing machine, the amount of physical labor required was nothing simple. Manual washing machines didn’t become available until quite late in the frontier era– after the Transcontinental Railroad went through. The washing machine was first available to order through a catalog in the late 1880’s.
