Laundry & Sewing

Ohio History

Summer Kitchen

This airy laundry room at the back of the house reminded us that Matilda Dunbar worked hard doing laundry work while her sons were young. (His father left the family when Paul was four.) There was also an ice chest and a stove for summer cooking in this room—Mr. Dunbar made sure that his mother was well-taken care of! Below is an airy upstairs sewing room for Mrs. Dunbar, with large windows for plenty of light. Imagine making such an ornate dress on that old-fashioned seweng machine!

Mrs. Dunbar's Sewing Room

There was a nice museum next door to the house, featuring some interesting belongings of the Dunbars’, as well as recorded readings of some of his poems. Here is a short verse that I especially liked:

“Because you love me I have achieved,

Had you despised me then I must have failed,

But since I knew you trusted and believed,

 I could not disappoint you and so prevailed."