There are many interesting artifacts in museums all over the world: gold crowns worn by royalty and leaders throughout all periods of history, documents that have shaped tour nation, and other important Items that played a role in some of the most well-known events in history. However, sometimes the most fascinating things we see are the tools and utensils used by regular people during their daily lives in those long-lost years gone by. And that’s just what this month’s artifact is.
A well-dressed person always wants to have sharp looking, wrinkle free clothing, and there is generally only one way to achieve that look: a clothes iron. Today we think of modern electric irons you plug in to heat, maybe add a little water to produce some steam, and go to town ridding your clothing or wrinkles, and maybe finishing with a nice crease.
However, for decades, centuries even, in the past, folks used what was called a “Sad Iron.” Sad shouldn’t evoke unpleasant memories or feelings (unless you just really hate to iron clothes). In this case, the word sad can trace its origin back to older words that simply mean solid. A solid iron simply means that a sad iron is made OF solid iron.
Earlier sad irons were a solid piece of iron, usually cast into a shape that we would indeed recognize as a clothes iron today, with a solid iron handle. However, in the later Victorian Era and through the early parts of the 20th century, these sad irons became more advanced. The iron itself would separate from an upper portion that was often lined with asbestos to keep the handle from getting hot. That type of sad iron is featured in the photo. Thankfully the asbestos has long since been removed.
These later sad irons could use a designated heater to warm up the iron, also shown here in the photo. Kerosene powered these heaters, and they could often double as a small stove to cook on. Older sad irons were simply heated on the hearth stones near a cooking or heating fire.
Keep an eye out on the Greene County Historical Society website and Facebook page for information on our upcoming Harvest Festival and any other exciting things we have going on throughout the rest of 2024!