Iris's Chapter
Hot Water and Ice Deliveries at the River Drive House
told by Iris Lee Guild Retzlaff
Iris remembers a large green iron stove with a hot-water tank, which supplied the house's only hot water as far as she knew, and a bathroom shared with the couple upstairs. Her mother heated heavy irons on the stove; Iris is uncertain whether there were multiple irons or interchangeable bottoms with a single detachable handle. The household also had a wooden icebox, replenished by an iceman carrying a block of ice on his shoulder with ice tongs.
In the family's own words
At the River Drive house, we had a large green iron stove with a tank on one end to hold hot water—the only hot water we had in the house as far as I know. Also, we
shared the bathroom with the couple upstairs. Mom used to heat her iron on that stove as well. It was a heavy thing. Seems like there was more than one iron. One on the stove heating while she used the other. Maybe it had two bottoms; one to use while the other heated up, and only one detachable handle that stayed cool. We had a wooden icebox and the iceman would come often carrying a block of ice on his shoulder with a pair of ice tongs. Can you believe it?
Referenced in
Iris's Chapter, told by Iris Lee Guild RetzlaffRelated stories
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